Workers at an Amazon warehouse close to Albany decisively rejected a unionisation bid, dealing a setback to a fledgling labour union that was trying to organise staff at the retail giant.
The union received 206 votes, while 406 votes were against it. The decision of whether or not to join the Amazon Labor Union was up for vote among 949 employees at the ALB1 warehouse, according to officials.
The vote process “wasn’t free and fair,” according to ALU President Chris Smalls, who also hinted that the union would try to have the election results overturned. The National Labor Relations Board has already received 27 unfair labour practise complaints from the ALU’s legal team against the business.
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“It was a sham election where workers were subjected to intimidation and retaliation on a daily basis and even the workers who volunteered to be election observers were faced with threats of termination,” Smalls said.
Employees at ALB1 felt the union would aid in securing higher pay. The facility’s beginning compensation was increased by Amazon last month from $15.70 to $17 per hour, consistent with pay hikes for front-line employees around the nation.
The ALB1 organisers have also expressed worries about the working environment, claiming that the high injury rates and staff fatigue are results of the fast-paced work environment.
The labour movement experienced a turning point with the ALU’s victory at JFK8, which led to the establishment of the nation’s first unionised Amazon warehouse.
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since Amazon has argued that the results should be thrown out, the union has not yet been able to negotiate a contract at JFK8. Recently, an NLRB representative suggested that the company’s objections be disregarded. Amazon reportedly plans to appeal.
Amazon is dealing with a nationwide uptick in labour mobilisation. Last Monday, employees at an Amazon fulfilment centre in Southern California submitted a union petition in an effort to unionise.
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