Amazon accused the Brooklyn office of the National Labor Relations Board of supporting the union campaign and alleged that labor organizers intimidated workers to vote in their favor. Union organizers have dismissed Amazon’s claims.
Amazon accused the Brooklyn office of the National Labor Relations Board of supporting the union campaign and alleged that labor organizers intimidated workers to vote in their favor. Union organizers have dismissed Amazon’s claims.
In March, Amazon lost against a nascent labor movement at one of its Staten Island warehouses. The obscure Amazon labor union won a bid to organize against the retail giant.
About 55% of warehouse workers worked in favor of a union, giving the fledgling ALU enough support to win. According to the National Labor Relations Board, which is overseeing the process, 2,131 workers – or 45% – rejected the union’s bid.
Winning was an uphill task for the former and present worker-turned-union organizers. He lacked official support from an established union, and was shot at by retail giants.
Despite the obstacles, campaigners believed that their grassroots approach was more relatable to workers and could help them overcome places where unions established in the past have failed. They were right.
Now, Amazon wants a rematch. The e-commerce giant is seeking the support of those who declined a bid for a second round of elections at another Staten Island warehouse, not far from the JFK8 facility. Employees voted last week, and the results are expected on Monday.
There are far fewer workers to vote in this latest election than last month – about 1,500 compared to 8,300 at the neighboring Staten Island facility. There are also fewer organizers – about 10 compared to about 30.
According to a report from the Associated Press, “it’s a much more personal, aggressive fight over here,” said Connor Spence, an Amazon employee who serves as the union’s vice president of membership.
There was more support for the organizing effort when the ALU applied for the election earlier this year. But it was quickly overshadowed by the JFK8 warehouse, where the organizers were directing most of their energy.
Amazon says it is up to employees whether they want to join a union or not. But she believes unions are the “best answer” for their employees. They prefer to work directly with workers.
But this has not yielded the desired results for many employees. Their demands included increased leisure and lunch hours, higher wages and safer working conditions.
According to data from a variety of sources, fulfillment centers had high employee turnover rates, and employee injuries at the facility were three times the national average in the US.
At the moment it is not clear who will win this round. But experts note that the union’s unexpected victory last month could strengthen support as organizers turn their attention to the smaller warehouse and reiterate their approach to workers.
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