fbpx
Vertiv Introduces New Single-Phase Uninterruptible Power Supply for Distributed Information Technology (IT) Networks and Edge Computing Applications in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA)Read more Students from JA Zimbabwe Win 2023 De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship AwardRead more Top International Prospects to Travel to Salt Lake City for Seventh Annual Basketball Without Borders Global CampRead more Rise of the Robots as Saudi Arabia Underscores Global Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Aspirations with DeepFest Debut at LEAP23Read more Somalia: ‘I sold the last three goats, they were likely to die’Read more Merck Foundation and African First Ladies marking World Cancer Day 2023 through 110 scholarships of Oncology Fellowships in 25 countriesRead more Supporting women leaders and aspirants to unleash their potentialRead more Fake medicines kill almost 500,000 sub-Saharan Africans a year: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reportRead more Climate crisis and migration: Greta Thunberg supports International Organization for Migration (IOM) over ‘life and death’ issueRead more United Nations (UN) Convenes Lake Chad Countries, Amid Growing Regional CrisisRead more

Organizers take first step to unionize at Amazon New York warehouse

show caption
Employees at Amazon's Staten Island location are vying to form the first union at the e-commerce colossus./AFP
Print Friendly and PDF

Oct 26, 2021 - 01:08 PM

NEW YORK — Amazon warehouse workers in New York said Monday they had filed to create a union, hoping to be the first such body recognized by the e-commerce giant six months after a similar attempt failed elsewhere.

Their effort has been closely watched as it could pave the way for further unionization in the United States at one of the world’s most powerful companies.

Amazon Labor Union (ALU), the organizing group in New York that submitted the formal papers to officials, said the company is fighting the effort.

“The world is watching,” said ALU head Christian Smalls, an ex-Amazon employee who sued over his dismissal and pandemic conditions at their Staten Island facility.

“This is New York. This is a union town and we got to prove it,” he added, as he left the Brooklyn office for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal agency in charge of labor law.

Smalls said more than 2,000 cards had been signed asking for a vote — but for the election to go ahead, more than half of the New York facility’s employees will need to agree.

ALU lawyer Eric Milner said the minimum number of signatures required — 30 percent of laborers — had been reached.

He said the NLRB had set a hearing for November 15 to discuss the unionization procedure. Until then, Amazon is required to inform warehouse employees the case has been accepted.

“We’re skeptical that a sufficient number of legitimate employee signatures has been secured to warrant an election,” said Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel.

But she added: “If there is an election, we want the voice of our employees to be heard and look forward to it.”

The ALU said it is seeking “higher wages, job security, safer working conditions, more paid time off, better medical leave options, longer breaks and more.”

The fresh push came after a US labor official in August recommended the results be nullified in an earlier failed effort at an Alabama warehouse, opening a possible path to a new election.

The union alleges that efforts to form the first union at a US-based Amazon facility were tainted by the company’s interference.

The hearing officer recommendation is a key step towards potentially overturning the April ballot.

MAORANDCITIES.COM uses both Facebook and Disqus comment systems to make it easier for you to contribute. We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. All comments should be relevant to the topic. By posting, you agree to our Privacy Policy. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, name-calling, foul language or other inappropriate behavior. Please keep your comments relevant and respectful. By leaving the ‘Post to Facebook’ box selected – when using Facebook comment system – your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the “X” in the upper right corner of the Facebook comment box to report spam or abuse. You can also email us.