Amazon workers across the U.S. have reportedly begun considering unionization. The organizer of the campaign that led to Amazon’s first union in the U.S. said on April 5 that employees from over fifty facilities nationwide had contacted him about forming their own.
Amazon Labor Union president Christian Smalls posted on Twitter that workers in several facilities overseas had expressed interest as well.
🗣Since we WON @amazonlabor has been contacted by workers in over 50 buildings Nationwide not including the several buildings overseas and counting ⬆️ ‼️✊🏾 #ALU
— Christian Smalls (@Shut_downAmazon) April 5, 2022
According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the tweet comes just days after the Amazon employees in the Staten Island fulfillment center, known as JFK8, voted 2,654 to 2,131 to organize.
Smalls and the Staten Island union supporters have pushed for other facilities to follow suit during the campaign, creating momentum for what could be a significant movement throughout Amazon.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the results of Friday’s vote are set to galvanize activists who have already triggered votes at two other Amazon facilities. The union advocates have stepped up their efforts in recent years as Amazon has rapidly expanded to become a pacesetter for companies’ wages, benefits, and hiring practices in many regions.
Following the union vote on April 1, Amazon, which employs about 1 million people in the United States, noted the company was “disappointed” with the decision.
“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 U.S. Chamber of Commerce) witnessed in this election,” the statement said.
The Associated Press reported that the online retailer spent about $4.2 million last year on labor consultants who would often meet with employees to discuss the negative consequences of unions.
The vote to unionize comes after a 2-year protest organized in retaliation against the e-commerce tech giant. Employees claimed the company failed to provide safe working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, as The Dallas Express previously reported.
Smalls, who led the protest, was fired from the company in 2020, and a lawsuit followed, filed in Manhattan State Court on February 16 by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The suit accused Amazon of retaliating against employees for speaking out and included a call for Amazon to rehire Smalls.
Eric Milner, attorney for the Staten Island Amazon facility employees, said that union supporters are also seeking higher wages and “more respectful treatment” from the company in addition to protesting for safer working conditions.
Members of the Staten Island labor group are asking that contract talks begin in early May.
Still, Amazon’s statement on the matter suggests the company will avoid a rush to the table. The WSJ reported it could take months or even longer to reach a new contract.
“The number one thing is going to be fighting for the contract,” Smalls told AP. “We have to start that process right away because we know the longer drawn-out the contract is, [the more] workers will lose hope and interest.”
Meanwhile, Reuters reported Monday that further concerns about the online retailer were raised after news organization The Intercept revealed that Amazon was considering blocking certain words, including “union” and “living wage,” from the company’s internal communications app.
According to Reuters, Amazon denied plans to screen words used by employees. Instead, the company stated that, while it is considering ways to help employees engage with one another, that “particular program has not been approved yet and may change significantly or even never launch at all.”
Despite being under scrutiny in recent weeks, Amazon leaders have publicly stated they are working to do more for their employees.
Last fall, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said during a summit, “I think if you have a large group of people like we do — we have 1.2 million employees — it’s almost like a small country. There are lots of things you could do better.”
On April 6, LinkedIn named Amazon in the number one spot for their 2022 LinkedIn Top Companies list, an annual ranking of the fifty best workplaces to grow your career. Amazon held the top spot last year as well.
The list, generated from LinkedIn data, ranks companies by how well they facilitate employees’ career progression based on seven areas of focus: employee support, retention, skills growth, ability to advance, external opportunity, educational background, and gender diversity.
Amazon has made headlines for its recent moves, which have increased wages, training initiatives, and employee education reimbursements.
