Another vote on unionization at an Amazon FC in the Albany NY, area was recently held, and once again workers said No – decisively so.
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66% of workers voted not to join a union, once again dashing the hopes of labor that this vote could be a catalyst for organizing the retail giant’s hundreds of facilities.
That according to results released last week by the National Labor Relations Board. The Amazon workers rejected the Amazon Labor Union or ALU, a sort of makeshift union started by Amazon workers, but which did get the one and only union win at a US FC on Staten Island in New York City earlier this year.
But ALU then lost a vote in May at a nearby facility on Staten Island.
Thus this makes it 3 out of 4 Amazon logistics sites rejecting unionization in 2022.
More than 600 workers cast ballots in the Albany FC vote, with those saying Yes outnumbering those voting No 2 to 1.
Chris Smalls, president of ALU, said in a statement that the voting process “wasn’t free and fair,” suggesting the union may seek to challenge the election results.
The ALU has filed more than two dozen charges with the NLRB accusing the company of unfair labor practices that damaged its ability to organize.
But when the NLRB ordered a new vote at an Amazon FC in Alabama earlier this year due to Amazon actions, the union lost that second vote too, as workers it appears are just not that interested at organizing.
However, Smalls stated that “We are filled with resolve to continue and expand our campaign for fair treatment for all Amazon workers,” adding that. “It isn’t a loss; it’s an ongoing battle,” he said.
A report by CNBC.com says many workers there said they voted against the union because it was unnecessary, with the pay and benefits offered by Amazon being generous compared to local alternatives.
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Workers at Albany FC make a base pay of around $17 per hour after a recent wage increase, according to the company, plus a full healthcare plan and other benefits, such as paid-for college education.
Workers also expressed skepticism about the ALU itself, as being too inexperienced to succeed versus Amazon.
Heather Goodall, an employee and union organizer at the Albany FC, said Amazon suggested to workers that their pay and benefits could suffer if they unionized.
In recent months, Amazon has also terminated a few union organizers, the result it says, of violating internal policies.
An Amazon spokesperson said the company is pleased that workers chose to keep a “direct relationship with Amazon,” which the company sees as best for employees and customers.
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