Amazon Warehouse in Alabama Ordered to Redo Vote to Unionize

(Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket through Getty Images)

To be part of or not be part of a union? This query has overwhelmed the minds of Amazon warehouse staff in Bessemer, Alabama. They voted as soon as already, however the firm was accused of unfair intrusive acts supposed to sway the end result. With strain from the U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and President Joe Biden – in addition to a court docket order – the Alabama warehouse staff should now forged one other vote. Did Amazon misbehave, or are the courts and the Biden administration sticking their noses the place they don’t belong?

What Went Wrong With the First Round of Votes?

(Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket through Getty Images)

The employees overwhelmingly selected not to unionize the primary time round, with two “noes” for each “yes.” However, the NLRB felt voters have been pressured by Amazon to vote in opposition to the measure. For instance, a warehouse worker testified in court docket that managers warned employees the achievement heart would probably shut down if the vote to unionize have been profitable. Other accusations embrace informing staff that the higher-ups would frivolously spend the dues paid to the union. What higher method to get the specified outcomes than intimidation?

The most important blow to Amazon’s case was the allegation that the corporate monitored the mailbox put in for voters to deposit their ballots. The United States Postal Service put in the field in a non-public parking zone, hoping that staff would really feel reassured that they may vote safely and in confidence. Unfortunately, the mailbox placement below a big Amazon tent prompted the staff to really feel as in the event that they have been being recorded. The world’s second-largest non-public retailer interfered sufficient that the courts opted to trash the votes.

Just Keep Voting, Just Keep Voting

Some might argue these in favor of labor unions might proceed demanding new votes till they get the specified outcomes. In the animated film Finding Nemo, Dory, a Royal Blue Tang, has a behavior of claiming “just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” Is this the strategy being utilized by NLRB? Just preserve voting, simply preserve voting till we attain the specified outcomes.

Still, even those that are anti-union would probably discover it laborious to defend Amazon’s actions. Regardless of how anybody feels about union work, the corporate clearly mustn’t have tried to browbeat its staff into voting in opposition to unionization. Let the votes present what the bulk prefers.

Biden Chimed In

President Biden has been abundantly clear that he’s in assist of labor unions. In a video posted to Twitter concerning the scenario in Alabama, Biden said, “Today and over the next few days and weeks, workers in Alabama and all across America are voting on whether to organize a union in their workplace. This is vitally important — a vitally important choice, as America grapples with the deadly pandemic, the economic crisis and the reckoning on race — what it reveals is the deep disparities that still exist in our country.”

Pros and Cons of Labor Unions

Perhaps probably the most irritating factor about Amazon’s actions is that administration didn’t have religion in the staff to make an informed determination on their very own. A easy Google search can define the ups and downs of union work. The positives are that unions sometimes present increased pay, higher befits, and a layer of safety between the worker and the employer. While this can be sufficient for some to climb aboard the union prepare, others are extra skeptical. The apparent downsides embrace paying dues and charges, discouraging individuality, and the truth that promotion tends to be primarily based strictly on seniority moderately than precise particular person advantage. With this moderately easy-to-locate data, Amazon ought to have merely let its staff do their analysis and make up their very own minds.

Amazon is studying the laborious method not to drive its staff to vote the way in which firm leaders see match. Maybe they’ll behave higher on the second go-round. Union or no union, employees want to really feel assured that the corporate respects their wants and can deal with them pretty. The identical might go for the courts; let the votes communicate for themselves, even when the end result is undesirable.

~ Read extra from Kirsten Brooker.