Amazon workers in upstate New York voted by a roughly 2-to-1 ratio against unionizing, according to results tallied on Tuesday by the National Labor Relations Board.
The vote is a setback for the Amazon Labor Union, or ALU, a small independent union that in April won a historic vote in Staten Island, New York, to form the first-ever collective bargaining unit one of the retailer's U.S. warehouses.
Of the more than 900 workers eligible to cast ballots at this week's election at the Amazon warehouse in Castleton-on-the-Hudson, New York, known as ALB1, 406 voted against joining and 206 voted for joining the union. Thirty-one ballots were challenged and four voided.
The union had called for increased wages and safer working conditions at the facility, where starting pay was recently hiked to $17 an hour from $15.70.
Christian Smalls, founder of ALU, vowed to continue the unionizing efforts, despite Tuesday's outcome.
"Proud of the brave workers of ALBI regardless of today's results taking on a trillion dollar company can never be a loss for workers," he tweeted.
Proud of the brave workers of ALB1 regardless of todays results taking on a Trillion dollar company can never be a loss for workers. We will continue to empower all workers to give them the right to unionize. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take! W.G. #AlllaborWinter ✊🏽 — Christian Smalls (@Shut_downAmazon) October 18, 2022
"We're glad that our team in Albany was able to have their voices heard and that they chose to keep the direct relationship with Amazon, as we think that this is the best arrangement for both our employees and customers. We will continue to work directly with our teammates in Albany, as we do everywhere, to keep making Amazon better every day," a spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch in a statement.
The ALU last week also filed for an election at an Amazon facility in Moreno Valley, California, it's first foray on the West Coast.
In Staten Island, union officials have not succeeded in getting Amazon to the bargaining table, with the company appealing the result of the early April vote to unionize. A month after that initial win, the union lost another election at a separate Amazon warehouse in Staten Island. Another union vote at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, is snarled in legal proceedings, with the results not yet determined.
fffyhhiurfgghh on October 18th, 2022 at 18:12 UTC »
I’m in support of unions. But not being able to convince workers at Amazon of all places to unionize is pathetic.
IntermittentDrops on October 18th, 2022 at 17:22 UTC »
Very surprising margin, 406 to 206 with an eligible voter population of around 900. Shows that the Amazon Labor Union was pretty reckless in bringing this one to a vote. Generally you want to have signed cards from a majority of workers before you call for an election, even though the NLRB only requires 30% (which is the % that in this case voted for the union).
Wins beget wins and losses beget losses. ALU needs to slow down and not rush to an election for the next warehouse.
buffalobill922 on October 18th, 2022 at 17:13 UTC »
Anytime executives cheer for what low wage employees do, low wage employees are getting fucked.