The “no” votes are 993 to 875 in the Bessemer, Alabama Amazon Union election as of today’s closing of voting. It’s a win for Amazon, which has successfully avoided worker organization in its fulfillment hubs for the length of its 27-year history. However, the margin is far lower than in last year’s election, when the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Association successfully demanded a recount, citing multiple concerns about Amazon’s conduct.
The outcomes of tonight’s game aren’t as clear-cut. A total of 416 ballots have been “challenged,” in addition to the 59 that have been annulled. A hearing will be scheduled to decide if the ballots should be added to the final total because that number might tie the vote for “yes.” The nature of the issues is still unknown. For a number of reasons, any party may have opposed to their inclusion.
In a statement to TechCrunch, the RWDSU stated: Each and every vote must be tallied. Amazon employees were subjected to an unnecessarily protracted and acrimonious campaign to unionize their workplace; with Amazon doing everything it could to propagate disinformation and deception. We’ll keep Amazon accountable, and we’ll file complaints about their actions. In this unreasonably protracted procedure, these employees’ grit and fortitude never faltered. Workers will have to wait a little longer for their views to be heard, but our union will be there for them every step of the way to guarantee that they are heard under the law.
What we do know is that this is a historic time, and the employees in Bessemer, Alabama, have encouraged workers throughout the country and around the world to fight for change at their workplaces, including other Amazon organizing efforts. This struggle is the genesis of the labor movement in the twenty-first century, and we know it will permanently change how Americans regard unions in this nation. The greatest method for working people to defend themselves and their families is to join together in a union, as demonstrated by this union election.
The hearing has yet to be scheduled, but it is expected to take place in the next weeks. Both Amazon and the union have been keenly watching today’s results, just as they did in last year’s original election. Amazon has opposed unionization attempts vehemently, fearing that a foothold by the RWDSU may set off a chain reaction. Starbucks has been driving union efforts across the country following early union victory. It’s an indication of shifting attitudes on labor rights, particularly among those who were regarded important during the epidemic.
The results of another campaign in Staten Island, New York’s JFK8 fulfillment facility align with the results of the almost two-month-long Bessemer mail-in vote. There are 1,518 “yes” votes to 1,154 “no” votes. Counting has halted for the night and will restart at 9:30 a.m. ET tomorrow.
JFK8’s union attempts have been greeted with substantial resistance from Amazon, just as the Alabama election. Christian Smalls, a former employee turned activist, was one of three people detained in February on trespassing charges. Smalls denied the allegations, telling the reporters that they were simply there to feed the employees. CNBC reported earlier today that Amazon has engaged Global Strategy Group, a group with links to the Democratic Party, to aid in the fight against labor organization.
