Dec 18 (Reuters) - Thousands of Amazon.com ( AMZN ) workers will

walk off the job on Thursday at 6 a.m. ET, in the crucial final

days before Christmas, after union officials said the retailer

failed to come to the bargaining table.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters said that

unionized workers at facilities in New York City, Skokie in

Illinois, Atlanta, San Francisco and Southern California will

join the picket line to seek contracts guaranteeing better wages

and work conditions.

Workers at other Amazon ( AMZN ) facilities are prepared to join them

as well, the union said.