Union members accuse the retail giant of refusing to recognise their organisation and ignoring a deadline to negotiate a contract by 15 December.

Facilities in Southern California, New York, and Illinois are among those likely to be affected, according to a statement from the Teamsters.

Teamsters General President Sean M O’Brien said: “The corporate elitists who run Amazon are leaving workers with no choice. Amazon must be held accountable to workers and consumers alike.

“If workers are forced onto the picket line, Amazon will be striking itself.”

The Teamsters claim to represent thousands of Amazon employees across 10 US facilities.

But Amazon disputes this.

Its spokesperson Eileen Hards said: “The union has continued to intentionally mislead the public – claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers.’ They don’t.

“The Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal.”

The threat of strikes comes as Amazon faces heightened scrutiny over its treatment of workers.

A congressional investigation, led by Senator Bernie Sanders, found Amazon’s warehouses push employees to fulfil orders at speeds linked to high injury rates.

The inquiry, which involved over 130 interviews and the review of more than 1,000 documents, revealed that Amazon’s injury rate was more than 30% higher than the industry average in 2023.

Mr Sanders’ report also alleged that Amazon had refused to implement safety measures due to concerns about profits.

The company dismissed the findings as “wrong on the facts” and based on “selective, outdated information”.

Amazon, which employs around 800,000 people in the US, has long faced criticism for unsafe working conditions, especially during the pandemic, when demand for e-commerce surged.

Amid mounting pressure, founder Jeff Bezos previously admitted the company needed to “do better” by its workforce.