Amazon workers have cast their ballots in a vote on whether to unionize the company's fulfillment center in Bessemer.
In April of 2021, Amazon workers voted on whether to join The Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU). Of the 5,800 workers, fewer than half of them submitted ballots. The vote concluded with the majority deciding not to unionize by a margin of 1,798 to 738.
Immediately following the results of the vote, RWDSU filed an objection, stating that Amazon had violated labor laws by not providing the correct parameters for a fair election. Among various complaints, the union claimed Amazon pressured the postal service into installing a ballot box in the warehouse and erecting a tent around the box. The union also claimed that Amazon had created multiple impressions that individual employee votes would be known by Amazon management. Amazon had also previously polled employees, which the union asserted would make employees feel pressured into voting no.
On Nov. 29, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) voted in favor of the union’s challenge. The NLRB released its decision saying that it agreed with the union’s objections and that Amazon had conducted the vote inappropriately.
The NLRB claimed that the original election was set aside because they found that Amazon had “interfered with the employees’ exercise of a free and reasoned choice” by creating the appearance of irregularity in the election procedure.
Since the first vote was tossed, RWDSU has dramatically increased its labor activism around the Bessemer area. Officials of RWDSU have reported an increase in boots on the ground. There have reportedly been over 150 labor organizers in the area visiting workers and distributing literature in an attempt to garner support for unionization.
The high turnover rate of the Bessemer fulfillment center has made it difficult for organizers to confirm the necessary worker support needed to secure the vote.
Alabama is a right-to-work state, which means that a corporation and union cannot sign agreements compelling employees to pay union dues. Employees may only unionize by vote.
Stuart Appelbaum, president of the RWDSU, claimed that he met and talked with several workers who said they had been “deceived” when they voted the first time.
The RWDSU and pro-union Amazon workers have consistently maintained that the subpar wages, work conditions, benefits and time off all highlight the need for unionization.
Amazon has maintained that they have consistently offered competitive wages and benefits for its employees.
“There are 40 million Americans who make less than the starting wage at Amazon, and many more who don’t get health care through their employers, and we think that should be fixed,” Amazon stated in a press release after the original vote.
According to the US Census Bureau (CB), the average household salary in Bessemer is $30,284.00, which would make the average hourly wages for a full-time employee $14.55 an hour; that number is estimated assuming the employee takes no time off for holidays, illness or vacation. According to the CB, over 25% of the population lives under the poverty line. The Amazon Center in Bessemer has a starting wage of $15 an hour.
RWDSU has already filed Unfair Labor Practice charges (ULPs) against Amazon, claiming that it has engaged in misconduct during the re-run union election. They claim that Amazon has continued to distribute anti-union material during mandatory staff meetings, as well as removing pro-union literature from break rooms and assembly areas.
RWDSU also released claims that Amazon has threatened the health and safety of Bessemer workers after an incident in which workers were allegedly told to remain at their stations during an occurrence of oil evaporation. According to the RWDSU, a compressor malfunctioned, releasing oil vapor into the air.
Several workers reported feeling scared and confused by the lack of clarity and instruction from Amazon management when the warehouse seemed to fill up with smoke.
“At first, I thought my glasses were just smudged, but then the air got thicker, and my co-worker said he thought it was smoke and we should leave,” said Isaiah Thomas, an Amazon worker. “Everyone was very confused, and the lack of information made us feel very unsafe. We didn’t know what was happening and many of us sought safety in our cars and tried to get as far away from the building as possible. When I heard from my co-workers on the third floor that they were [given voluntary time off] so many hours earlier, I was shocked why they would have the rest of us keep working, and why there was no notification or alarm sounded for all those hours."
“Amazon knowingly kept workers at their stations for hours during the incident, failed to properly evacuate the facility, and told workers to go back to work before any clarity on the safety of the vapor in the air was known,” Applebaum said. “It is unconscionable that Amazon would keep workers at their stations when there is a known health and safety issue.”
RWDSU, a self-professedly progressive organization, has been pushing for unionization in Amazon facilities, especially the fulfillment center in Bessemer. The union has repeatedly condemned what they perceive as immoral labor requirements at Amazon and has said a union is the only viable solution.
Before the 2021 election, Amazon officials clarified that they did not recommend their employees unionize. Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokeswoman, said in a statement that the location of the postal box was meant for the convenience of Amazon employees.
“Our employees have always had the choice of whether or not to join a union, and they overwhelmingly chose not to join the RWDSU earlier this year,” Nantel said. “It’s disappointing that the NLRB has now decided that those votes shouldn’t count. As a company, we don’t think unions are the best answer for our employees.”
Ballots for the second election were mailed to 6,100 employees in early February. The counting process is expected to last for several days.
A similar vote is taking place at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, NY.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
