Amazon's First Union Attempt in the US Fails... "Bezos' 'No-Union Management' Wins"

Amazon Alabama Warehouse Workers Vote... 'Oppose' Wins Majority with 1,798 Votes
CEO Jeff Bezos Maintains 25-Year 'No Union' Policy
WP Calls It "Amazon's Major Victory"
Union Organizers Plan Lawsuit Against Company... "Engaged in Illegal Activities"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Junhyung] The attempt to form a labor union by Amazon employees in the United States, the world's largest e-commerce company, has failed.

Major foreign media including CNN reported on the 9th (local time) that Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama, voted against forming a union.

The votes opposing the union formation were 1,798, constituting the majority. Supporters numbered only 738. This vote was on whether to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

About 6,000 employees were eligible to vote. The total number of votes cast was 3,215. Approximately 500 votes were excluded from the count due to objections from both management and workers.

The Washington Post (WP) evaluated the vote result as a significant victory for Amazon. Amazon had opposed the establishment of the first unionized workplace in the U.S. at the Bessemer warehouse. The push for unionization was driven by dissatisfaction with COVID-19 related safety measures and overall working conditions.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Jeff Bezos, Amazon's CEO, has maintained a no-union management policy in the U.S. for over 25 years since founding Amazon. Had the union organizing succeeded at the Bessemer warehouse, it would have become the first Amazon union in the U.S. Analysts noted that the establishment of a union there would inevitably have influenced other Amazon workplaces across the country.

According to CNN, some Amazon employees in Europe have formed unions. However, the union organizing attempt at the Bessemer warehouse was the largest such effort at an Amazon facility in the U.S.

This vote attracted nationwide attention in the U.S. Politicians, including President Joe Biden, and celebrities publicly supported the unionization efforts.

Amazon, which has historically blocked unions in the U.S., conducted both online and offline campaigns this time as well. Flyers were posted on every restroom door, and text messages were sent. Employees were required to attend mandatory anti-union meetings.

At a press conference organized by management, an employee opposing the union stated, "Amazon is not perfect and has flaws." He added, "However, we can fix the company's flaws without a union," and questioned, "Why should we pay money to a union to do what we can do ourselves?"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

CNN pointed out that "the weight of this vote was incredibly heavy for both Amazon and its employees." If a union had been formed in Bessemer, it could have triggered similar attempts by Amazon employees nationwide. In that case, Amazon might have had to change the working methods of its approximately 950,000 U.S. employees.

CNN assessed that this union organizing was a tough battle from the start. It was a challenge against the second-largest employer in the U.S., and Bessemer is located in the South, where unionization rates are lower compared to other regions.

Workers who pushed for unionization with RWDSU stated that during the voting process, management engaged in lies, deception, and illegal activities, and they plan to file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). They also intend to strengthen activities that raise issues about Amazon's improper business and labor practices.

The labor movement argued that Congress should investigate Amazon's actions to block union formation. They also expressed hope that this vote could serve as an opportunity for labor law reforms favorable to union establishment.

Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) North America, said, "Before any amendments are made, if President Joe Biden and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh demand that large corporations like Amazon come to the negotiating table, it would be a great help."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.