Amazon warehouse workers in New York unionize in historic win against web giant
(2022/04/02)
- Reference: 1648851575
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/04/01/amazon_warehouse_union/
- Source link:
Amazon warehouse workers in New York City voted in favor of joining a trade union on Friday, marking the first-ever successful union campaign against the tech giant in its history.
The election was held by staff at Amazon's JFK8 fulfillment center on Staten Island, New York: 2,654 votes were cast by the facility's workers in favor of joining the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) versus 2,131 votes against the move. About 8,300 in total were eligible to vote, and the results need to be signed off by US labor officials. The White House applauded the outcome:
Psaki says Pres. Biden was “glad” to see Amazon workers in New York City forming the company’s first U.S. union.
“He believes firmly that every worker in every state must have a free and fair choice to join a union and the right to bargain collectively with their employer." [1]pic.twitter.com/3o3DhPKytu — CBS News (@CBSNews) [2]April 1, 2022
The ALU is an independent union made up of current and former workers of JFK8. Formed in April 2021, it's led by president Christian Smalls, an ex-Amazon employee who was fired for organizing protests over working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smalls and his colleagues filed a petition to hold a union election with America's National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in October last year.
After months of fundraising and campaigning, the ALU successfully persuaded a majority of workers to join the union. The groundbreaking victory marks the first time Amazon has failed to quash unionization efforts since the internet titan was founded over a quarter of a century ago, paving the way for other warehouses to follow suit. JFK8 is Amazon's biggest warehouse in New York.
The campaign reportedly rattled Amazon enough that they not only bombarded staff at the facility with anti-union messaging, bosses discussed Smalls in [3]rather uncharitable terms internally while planning a PR blitz to sink the unionization attempt.
[4]
"We worked had fun and made history," Smalls [5]tweeted this morning. "ALU for the win. Welcome the 1st union in America for Amazon."
[6]
[7]
The ALU wants Amazon to bump wages by 7.5 percent to match inflation, reinstate 20-minute breaks, and provide a private shuttle service for employees.
Previous attempts at unionizing have failed. Warehouse workers represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union in Bessemer, Alabama, [8]lost an election held last April. After that union filed objections to the NLRB, claiming Amazon illegally interfered with the vote and intimidated workers, the group was granted [9]another opportunity to run the election. Ballots were cast on Thursday, and the results have yet to be confirmed.
[10]
Although JFK8 workers have secured a victory against Amazon, it'll be an uphill battle to get the biz to recognize the union. "We're disappointed with the outcome of the election in Staten Island because we believe having a direct relationship with the company is best for our employees", a spokesperson for the web goliath [11]told CNBC.
[12]Midwest tornado destroys Amazon warehouse, killing six after worker 'told not to leave'
[13]If at first Amazon doesn't let you succeed, try, try again: Warehouse workers given second chance at union vote
[14]Amazon cuts a relatively tiny check to disappear claims it broke the law by withholding COVID-19 data from staff
[15]I've got way too much cash, thinks Jeff Bezos. Hmmm, pay more tax? Pay staff more? Nah, let's just go into space
"We're evaluating our options, including filing objections based on the inappropriate and undue influence by the NLRB that we and others (including the National Retail Federation and US Chamber of Commerce) witnessed in this election."
The ALU was jubilant and undeterred.
"We're extremely pleased with the outcome and it's a historic victory. We hope it'll set off a wave of organizing in the country," ALU's Connor Spence, VP of membership, told The Register . Regarding Amazon's threat to appeal the vote outcome, Spence added: "I don't foresee it going anywhere. It's just a way to forestall our unionization." ®
Get our [16]Tech Resources
[1] https://t.co/3o3DhPKytu
[2] https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1509979607499522054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3] https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dm8bx/leaked-amazon-memo-details-plan-to-smear-fired-warehouse-organizer-hes-not-smart-or-articulate
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YkfKcL8gfeCbgfFH9yOMdQAAAFQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://twitter.com/Shut_downAmazon/status/1509913203874189319
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YkfKcL8gfeCbgfFH9yOMdQAAAFQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YkfKcL8gfeCbgfFH9yOMdQAAAFQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/09/amazon_workers_union/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/30/amazon_workers_alabama/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YkfKcL8gfeCbgfFH9yOMdQAAAFQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/01/amazon-workers-in-staten-island-vote-to-unionize.html
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/12/13/deadly_midwest_storms_destroy_amazon_warehouse/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/30/amazon_workers_alabama/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/16/amazon_settlement_covid_19_data/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2018/05/03/bezos_billions_space/
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The election was held by staff at Amazon's JFK8 fulfillment center on Staten Island, New York: 2,654 votes were cast by the facility's workers in favor of joining the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) versus 2,131 votes against the move. About 8,300 in total were eligible to vote, and the results need to be signed off by US labor officials. The White House applauded the outcome:
Psaki says Pres. Biden was “glad” to see Amazon workers in New York City forming the company’s first U.S. union.
“He believes firmly that every worker in every state must have a free and fair choice to join a union and the right to bargain collectively with their employer." [1]pic.twitter.com/3o3DhPKytu — CBS News (@CBSNews) [2]April 1, 2022
The ALU is an independent union made up of current and former workers of JFK8. Formed in April 2021, it's led by president Christian Smalls, an ex-Amazon employee who was fired for organizing protests over working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smalls and his colleagues filed a petition to hold a union election with America's National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in October last year.
After months of fundraising and campaigning, the ALU successfully persuaded a majority of workers to join the union. The groundbreaking victory marks the first time Amazon has failed to quash unionization efforts since the internet titan was founded over a quarter of a century ago, paving the way for other warehouses to follow suit. JFK8 is Amazon's biggest warehouse in New York.
The campaign reportedly rattled Amazon enough that they not only bombarded staff at the facility with anti-union messaging, bosses discussed Smalls in [3]rather uncharitable terms internally while planning a PR blitz to sink the unionization attempt.
[4]
"We worked had fun and made history," Smalls [5]tweeted this morning. "ALU for the win. Welcome the 1st union in America for Amazon."
[6]
[7]
The ALU wants Amazon to bump wages by 7.5 percent to match inflation, reinstate 20-minute breaks, and provide a private shuttle service for employees.
Previous attempts at unionizing have failed. Warehouse workers represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union in Bessemer, Alabama, [8]lost an election held last April. After that union filed objections to the NLRB, claiming Amazon illegally interfered with the vote and intimidated workers, the group was granted [9]another opportunity to run the election. Ballots were cast on Thursday, and the results have yet to be confirmed.
[10]
Although JFK8 workers have secured a victory against Amazon, it'll be an uphill battle to get the biz to recognize the union. "We're disappointed with the outcome of the election in Staten Island because we believe having a direct relationship with the company is best for our employees", a spokesperson for the web goliath [11]told CNBC.
[12]Midwest tornado destroys Amazon warehouse, killing six after worker 'told not to leave'
[13]If at first Amazon doesn't let you succeed, try, try again: Warehouse workers given second chance at union vote
[14]Amazon cuts a relatively tiny check to disappear claims it broke the law by withholding COVID-19 data from staff
[15]I've got way too much cash, thinks Jeff Bezos. Hmmm, pay more tax? Pay staff more? Nah, let's just go into space
"We're evaluating our options, including filing objections based on the inappropriate and undue influence by the NLRB that we and others (including the National Retail Federation and US Chamber of Commerce) witnessed in this election."
The ALU was jubilant and undeterred.
"We're extremely pleased with the outcome and it's a historic victory. We hope it'll set off a wave of organizing in the country," ALU's Connor Spence, VP of membership, told The Register . Regarding Amazon's threat to appeal the vote outcome, Spence added: "I don't foresee it going anywhere. It's just a way to forestall our unionization." ®
Get our [16]Tech Resources
[1] https://t.co/3o3DhPKytu
[2] https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1509979607499522054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3] https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dm8bx/leaked-amazon-memo-details-plan-to-smear-fired-warehouse-organizer-hes-not-smart-or-articulate
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YkfKcL8gfeCbgfFH9yOMdQAAAFQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://twitter.com/Shut_downAmazon/status/1509913203874189319
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YkfKcL8gfeCbgfFH9yOMdQAAAFQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YkfKcL8gfeCbgfFH9yOMdQAAAFQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/09/amazon_workers_union/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/30/amazon_workers_alabama/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YkfKcL8gfeCbgfFH9yOMdQAAAFQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/01/amazon-workers-in-staten-island-vote-to-unionize.html
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/12/13/deadly_midwest_storms_destroy_amazon_warehouse/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/30/amazon_workers_alabama/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/16/amazon_settlement_covid_19_data/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2018/05/03/bezos_billions_space/
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Not an unequivocal union fan - but I applaud this
goldcd
I like the idea that amazon has to deal with a unionized workforce.
Mainly as I like and want to use amazon, but I don't want that to be part of a system that legally has to grind down workers to legally appease their shareholders.
Where I think the tech-bros are missing a trick, is harnessing their customers as part of the justification.
Email me and give me a button to press, that lets me say I'm prepared to pay say 2% more to cover better benefits for their workers that fill the box and deliver it to my door.
Good.
skeptical i
If Amazon could have replaced flesh-and-blood employees with robots and still make a ginormous wodge of profit, it would have done so by now. It hasn't. Now Amazon will be forced to treat employees -- at least those at JFK8 -- with a smidge more of the respect due the workers that allow such profits to happen. As was suggested above, it's not as if Mr. Bezos will be forced to miss yacht payments in order to cover higher employees wages and benefits. I hope this is the first of many Amazon facilities to go union. Well done.
"objections based on the inappropriate and undue influence"
Which, of course, have nothing to do with the innapropriate and undue influence of Amazon managers going around and hinting forcefully that unionising would entail a pink slip.
It's about time that Ronald Reagan's legacy on this point dies a final death. A direct relationship ? There is no such thing. On the one hand, there is the company, with its HR department and protocols and procedures. On the other hand, there is one employee. There is no such thing as equality in this scenario.
A union is required to ensure that HR cannot unduly impress the employee with falsehoods to keep said employee quiet and obedient. But of course, that means the employee will have support to have his rights enforced, and that means money.
So, obviously, Bezos does not agree even though he has enough money to double the salary of all his employees and he wouldn't even notice.