Amid a global movement to unionize Amazon workers, a significant struggle is unfolding in North Carolina. At the forefront of this fight is Durham resident Italo Medelius, whose commitment to the cause led him to undertake a hunger strike, demonstrating the lengths he is willing to go to demand change.
Italo Medelius, aged 32, has dedicated four years to working for Amazon, beginning at “RDU1” in Garner and later taking on the role of a forklift operator at the Durham Fulfillment Center. His hunger strike, which began as a protest against ongoing issues, reached its 33rd day with Medelius expressing frustration at the lack of progress. “We’ve been fighting this battle with Amazon for four years… Sometimes doing it the right way and doing it the nice way is just not gonna work,” he stated.
The movement for unionization gained momentum in 2022, when Amazon workers at Staten Island’s “JFK8” successfully formed the first Amazon labor union in the U.S. Inspired, workers in North Carolina established CAUSE, Carolina Amazonian United for Solidarity and Empowerment. Despite their efforts, including a union vote attempt at “RDU1” in 2025, the results have been disappointing.
Medelius’s hunger strike was partly motivated by the death of a colleague at “RDU1,” whom he claims might have been saved had there not been an unwritten policy discouraging 911 calls in emergencies. This allegation, however, is denied by Amazon. The company maintains that no such policy exists, written or otherwise.
On September 2, 2026, Medelius concluded his 40-day hunger strike during a Mass at Durham’s Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Reflecting on the experience, he noted, “Eating a wafer and drinking watered-down wine lit up all my senses. It was an incredible experience.”
Support from the community was apparent as family, friends, and fellow Amazon workers gathered to stand with Medelius, joined by Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams and members of the Durham City Council. Labor organizations, including the Union of Southern Service Workers (USSW), have also endorsed his cause. According to USSW’s Brandon Ruffin, “Italo’s sacrifice should challenge every one of us.”
Medelius attributes his resilience to his Peruvian-Catholic upbringing, which instilled the belief that sacrificing for one’s convictions is noble. Encouraged by historical figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Cesar Chavez, Medelius found strength in his “fast,” even as union colleagues urged him to cease.
Recently elected as president of CAUSE, Medelius disputes claims from Amazon that he was terminated in June, asserting he was working up until two weeks ago before taking medical leave. Meanwhile, Amazon’s representative Sam Stephenson has stated that the deceased worker from Garner was offered care but declined emergency transport, and that the death did not occur on company premises.
