Amazon Labor Union facts for kids
.svg){kind=small} |
|
Supporters in 2022
|
|
| Formation | April 20, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Type | Labor union |
| Purpose | Organized labor for Amazon workers |
| Location | |
|
President
|
Chris Smalls |
|
Vice president of organizing
|
Derrick Palmer |
The Amazon Labor Union (ALU) is a special group for workers at Amazon. It's like a team that helps Amazon employees work together. This union was started on April 20, 2021.
On April 1, 2022, something big happened. Amazon workers at a warehouse in Staten Island, called JFK8, voted to join the ALU. This made them the first Amazon workers in the United States to have their union officially recognized.
Contents
History of the ALU
The Amazon Labor Union was started by Chris Smalls and his group, The Congress of Essential Workers (TCOEW). Chris Smalls and Derrick Palmer had organized a walkout at the JFK8 warehouse. A walkout is when workers stop working to protest something. They were protesting how Amazon handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
After this protest, Chris Smalls was fired. Many government officials thought this was wrong. So, Smalls decided to form TCOEW and led more protests.
Smalls learned from other attempts to form unions at Amazon. He decided to start a grassroots movement for the ALU. This means it would be led by the workers themselves, from the ground up. He believed that if older unions hadn't succeeded, a new approach was needed. He wanted to build strong teamwork among the workers.
Many Amazon warehouses around the world reached out to the ALU. They wanted help to start unions in their own workplaces. This included places like Canada, India, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
How the ALU is Organized
The Amazon Labor Union is led by its President, Chris Smalls. Derrick Palmer is the Vice President of organizing.
As of March 2023, the union gets all its money from outside groups. For example, one group called the Omidyar Network gave them $250,000.
ALU Memberships
JFK8 Warehouse Workers
From March 25 to March 30, 2022, workers at the JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island voted. They were deciding if they wanted to form a union.
On April 1, 2022, the votes were counted. 2,654 workers voted to join the union, and 2,131 voted against it. This meant the Amazon Labor Union officially became the first independent Amazon union in the United States.
Many people saw this as a very important win for workers. Even President Joe Biden congratulated the union. His press secretary said he was happy to see workers' voices heard. She added that he believes all workers should have a fair choice to join a union.
Amazon, however, disagreed with the vote. They asked for a new election. The company said that union members had "intimidated employees" and recorded voters.
On January 11, 2023, a director from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) said Amazon's complaints were not strong enough. The NLRB then officially recognized the Amazon Labor Union. They said the ALU was the official group to represent all hourly workers at the JFK8 building. Amazon was expected to continue to challenge this decision.
Attempt at a Second Warehouse
On March 2, 2022, the NLRB allowed workers at a second Amazon warehouse in New York City, called LDJ5, to vote on joining the union.
However, on May 2, 2022, the workers at this second warehouse voted against joining the union. The vote was 618 against the union and 380 for it. About 1,600 employees could have voted.
See also
- REI worker organization
- Starbucks unions
- Apple worker organizations
