Skip to main content

Breaking: Staten Island Amazon Warehouse Workers Vote to Unionize


To call this a breaking (and noteworthy) story is an understatement…notwithstanding the fact that this week’s “What I’ve Been Reading Post” focused on labor unions.  With a 2,654 - 2,131 vote, Staten Island Amazon warehouse workers have voted to become the first unionized U.S. workplace at the company.

Leading into the vote, both supporters and opponents of the unionization effort ramped up efforts to support their cause.  Readers will recall that while unionization efforts have taken off at Starbucks in recent months, the successful unionization of this Staten Island warehouse was not a foregone conclusion. In fact, many thought that following the resounding defeat at the Bessemer, Alabama Amazon warehouse last year, labor advocates would be pleased with simply a good showing in Staten Island.  I was one of those who subscribed to the theory that a successful unionization vote probably was not in the cards.

While the 2,654 - 2,131 vote was not a slam dunk in any sense of the word, it is noteworthy in so much that the margin of victory was large enough that the approximately 67 ballots that are being contested will not change the outcome of the vote.  This means that even if all of the contested ballots are thrown out or put in the “no” category in regard to unionization, the 2,654 votes approving unionization will still carry the day.  Of course, Amazon could still seek to challenge the results and file an unfair labor practice charge in an effort to throw out these results and have a second election held (which is what is occurring in Bessemer, Alabama.)

After the National Labor Relations Board certifies the results (which should occur without any hiccups), the nearly 8,000 workers at this Staten Island warehouse will have the Amazon Labor Union (“ALU”) negotiating and bargaining on their behalf with Amazon.  The ALU has indicated it intends to seek better pay for the warehouse workers, better job protections, and improved health and safety policies in the workplace.

The question is will other Amazon warehouse workers follow suit and approve unionization efforts?  Time will tell.  Although it is important to note that voting had already finished at the Bessemer, Alabama warehouse before the results were announced out of Staten Island.  As a result, the successful unionization of the Staten Island warehouse should not have any impact (one way or the other) in regard to how the Bessemer vote plays out.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NLRB: Discussion Among Employees About Tip Pooling is Protected Concerted Activity

  This Advice Memorandum from the National Labor Relations Board’s Associate General Counsel, Jayme Sophir, addressed whether employees which discussed and complained about tip pooling at work constituted protected concerted activity. In relevant part, an employer in New York operated a chain of steakhouses.  While tip pooling was in place at these steakhouses, some of the employees objected to it on the grounds that it was not transparent and improperly divided tips among the workers.  Employees were told not to complain or talk to each other about the tip pool and were told that doing so would endanger their jobs.  Despite the employer later attempting to provide some clarity as to how the tips were being divided, rancor still existed among some employees.  At one point, the employees were told by a general manager that some employees that had been talking about the tip pool were “cleared out” and the employer would continue to do so. In the Advice Memorandum,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Breaking: Labor Secretary Rumored to Be Leaving Administration

A few hours ago, word leaked out that Labor Secretary Marty Walsh (“Walsh”) is in the midst of negotiations to head up the NHL Players Union and leave his position at the Labor Department. Walsh, who has served as the sole Labor Secretary under President Biden, has taken part in a labor renaissance of sorts as support for organized labor has increased during his term as Labor Secretary (although the number of workers that have joined a union over the past two years has not grown as mush as some expected.)  He has also overseen the ongoing negotiations with rail workers over a new contract, although that matter is still on shaky ground and playing out as we speak. As for who might step into the vacant Labor Secretary role, there are already rumblings that President Biden should nominate Deputy Labor Secretary Julie Su (a strong labor advocate) or even a progressive like Senator Bernie Sanders.  Until Walsh officially gives his notice, however, I would expect some/many potential...
Post a Comment
Read more

San Diego Rolls Back Vaccine Mandate For City Workers

Last Tuesday, the San Diego City Council voted to do away with the vaccine mandate for city employees. The city’s vaccine mandate that was in place required city workers to get the coronavirus vaccine or risk termination.  Perhaps to this surprise of no one, the city’s policy came under fire with 14 employees being terminated and over 100 other employees resigning.  With the coronavirus subsiding, including in Southern California, the San Diego City Council took action. Now, bear in mind, the repeal of the vaccine mandate does not take place immediately. With that being said, the mandate will be repealed March 8th.  I suppose the question now is, what other cities or regions follow San Diego’s lead? For additional information:   https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2023-01-24/san-diego-repeals-controversial-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-citing-drop-in-cases-hospitalizations
Post a Comment
Read more