Unionization was in the best interests of workers employed at Amazon’s fulfillment center in Bessemer, claimed far-left Democratic Party leaders in early 2021.
President Joe Biden, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and other progressive political figures last year joined New York-based Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) in a failed campaign to organize Amazon’s Bessemer workers. Liberal Hollywood activist Danny Glover and Black Lives Matter also expressed their support of the effort.
The out-of-state pleas were to no avail as workers overwhelmingly rejected the unionization push. More than 70% of employees who participated in the election, which was conducted from February through March 2021, opted against forming a union.
Shortly thereafter, RWDSU appealed to the National Labor Relations Board claiming that the election had been tainted by alleging that Amazon had partaken in intimidation tactics during the voting process. NLRB found that Amazon had violated labor laws by arranging for a U.S. Postal Service mailbox to be placed on warehouse grounds for ballot collection.
In August, NLRB hearing officer Kerstin Meyer agreed with RWDSU’s allegations and recommended that the election results be nullified and that Amazon should be forced to hold a second vote. After deliberation, NLRB in September accepted Meyer’s recommendation and voided the election.
NLRB began mailing ballots to workers on Friday, marking the beginning of the second election over unionization. Workers will vote by mail due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Vote tabulation is scheduled to begin on March 28.
In a statement to Yellowhammer News, Amazon spokesman Barbara Agrait advised that while the company believes unionization is not in employees’ best interests, workers hold the right to unionize.
“Our employees have the choice of whether or not to join a union. They always have,” stated Agrait. “As a company, we don’t think unions are the best answer for our employees. Our focus remains on working directly with our employees and making Amazon a great place to work.”
RWDSU could not be reached for Yellowhammer News’ request for comment.
Amazon in November of last year announced plans to expand its Alabama footprint by opening three new operations facilities and launching a new fulfillment center to support the state’s customer base, creating more than 900 jobs.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.