Amazon Labor Union facts for kids
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Supporters of the Amazon Labor Union in 2022.
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| Abbreviation | ALU |
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| Formation | April 20, 2021 |
| Type | Labor union |
| Purpose | Organized labor for Amazon workers |
| Location | |
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President
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Connor Spence |
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Vice President
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Brima Sylla |
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Secretary-Treasurer
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Kathleen Cole |
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Recording-Secretary
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Sultana Hossain |
| Affiliations | Teamsters union |
The Amazon Labor Union (ALU) is a group that helps Amazon workers join together to ask for better pay and working conditions. This type of group is called a labor union. The ALU was formed on April 20, 2021.
In a historic vote on April 1, 2022, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, decided to join the ALU. This made them the first Amazon warehouse in the United States to officially form a union. In June 2024, the ALU joined forces with the Teamsters, a large and experienced union.
Contents
How the Union Started
The Amazon Labor Union was started by a group of workers led by Chris Smalls. Smalls used to work at an Amazon warehouse called JFK8. In 2020, he organized a walkout, which is a type of protest where workers leave their jobs to demand change. They were protesting how Amazon was handling safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the protest, Smalls was fired.
Many people, including government officials, thought it was unfair that Smalls was fired. This inspired him to create a new group to help workers.
A New Kind of Union
Smalls decided to create a new union from the ground up, run by the workers themselves. This is often called a grassroots movement. He saw that other big unions had tried and failed to organize Amazon workers. He believed a new approach was needed for the 21st century.
He said, "If established unions had been effective, they would have unionized Amazon already. We have to think about 21st century-style unionizing." His goal was to build a strong sense of community and support among the workers.
A Historic Victory at JFK8
The ALU's biggest moment came in 2022 at the JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island. From March 25 to 30, workers voted on whether to join the union.
On April 1, 2022, the votes were counted. The results were 2,654 votes in favor of the union and 2,131 against. This was a huge success. It created the first-ever official Amazon union in the United States. News reports called it "one of the biggest victories for organized labor in a generation."
U.S. President Joe Biden congratulated the union. His office said he was "glad to see workers ensure their voices are heard."
Amazon did not agree with the results and asked for a new election. However, in January 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (a government agency that protects workers' rights) officially recognized the ALU as the union for the JFK8 workers.
Other Union Efforts
After the success at JFK8, the ALU tried to unionize another Amazon warehouse in New York City. In May 2022, workers at that location voted against joining the union.
Even so, the ALU's victory inspired workers across the country and the world. The union received calls from over 50 other Amazon warehouses, including some in Canada, India, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, asking for help to organize.
Joining Forces with the Teamsters
In June 2024, the ALU made a big move by partnering with the Teamsters. The Teamsters are one of the largest and most powerful unions in North America. This partnership, called an affiliation, gives the ALU more resources and support. The ALU members voted to approve the deal, making it official.
Later that year, the Teamsters and the ALU organized a strike at Amazon locations in several states, including New York and California. The strike happened right before Christmas, a very busy time for Amazon. The union said the strike was needed because Amazon refused to talk with them about improving work conditions.
See also
- REI worker organization
- Starbucks unions
- Apple worker organizations
