Chris Smalls facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Smalls
Smalls in April 2022
Born	Christian Smalls (1988-07-04) July 4, 1988 (age 36) Hackensack, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Labor organizer
Known for	Workers' rights activism
Notable work	Amazon Labor Union
Children	3

Christian Smalls (born July 4, 1988) is an American who helps workers organize. He is famous for leading Amazon workers in Staten Island, a part of New York City. He helped start the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) and was its first president from 2021 to 2024.

Smalls grew up in New Jersey. He first wanted to be a rapper and even toured with Meek Mill. But he stopped his music career to support his three children. He then worked in different jobs, including at warehouses. He started working for Amazon in 2015.

On March 30, 2020, Smalls organized a walkout. He wanted to protest what he said were unsafe conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Amazon warehouse where he worked. Amazon fired him that same day. They said he broke rules about keeping distance from others while he was supposed to be in quarantine. Many government officials said Amazon's action was wrong and asked for an investigation.

After being fired, Smalls started a group called The Congress of Essential Workers. This group later helped create the ALU in April 2021. On April 1, 2022, the workers at the Amazon warehouse voted to join the ALU. Because of his work, Time magazine named him one of the most influential people in 2022.

Early Life and Goals

Smalls was born and grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey. His mother raised him, working as an administrator at a hospital. As a teenager, he played basketball, football, and ran track and field at Hackensack High School. He hoped to play in the National Basketball Association.

Later, Smalls went to a community college in Florida. He then returned to New York to study sound engineering. He decided to become a rapper and toured for a short time. But he chose to stop his music career. He took on jobs at places like Walmart and Home Depot to support his children.

Working at Amazon

Joining Amazon and Concerns

Smalls started working at Amazon in 2015. He began as a "picker," someone who finds items in the warehouse. He moved to a warehouse in Staten Island in 2018 and became an assistant manager. Smalls said he applied for management jobs many times but was never chosen. He felt this showed unfair treatment based on race within the company.

He said he liked working at Amazon at first. But over time, he started to see what he believed were "deep systemic" problems.

Speaking Out About Safety

Smalls became worried about safety at Amazon. He contacted local leaders and Amazon's human resources (HR) department. This happened after a very sick co-worker was allowed to come to work. The co-worker was waiting for COVID-19 test results. Smalls said HR did not do anything.

On March 30, 2020, Smalls and another worker, Derrick Palmer, organized a walkout. They protested Amazon's safety rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. They wanted the company to temporarily close their warehouse. Smalls said Amazon was not doing enough to protect workers. He also said the company did not tell workers when someone had COVID-19.

Why Smalls Was Fired

Amazon fired Smalls on the same day of the walkout. A senior leader at Amazon said Smalls broke the company's rules about keeping distance from others. They said he was supposed to be in a paid 14-day quarantine because he had been near someone with COVID-19. However, Smalls had been exposed on March 11 but was not told until March 28.

Many important people spoke out against Amazon's decision. Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, said Amazon fired Smalls unfairly. She later ordered an investigation. Bill de Blasio, the Mayor of New York City, and Senator Bernie Sanders also called the firing "disgraceful."

After Amazon: Organizing Workers

The Congress of Essential Workers

After Amazon fired him in 2020, Smalls started a group called The Congress of Essential Workers (TCOEW). This group helps workers speak up for their rights. On May 1, 2020, Smalls and TCOEW helped organize a strike. Workers at Amazon, Target, and Walmart protested across the country.

Starting the Amazon Labor Union

On April 20, 2021, Smalls created the Amazon Labor Union (ALU). This union was supported by his TCOEW group. Smalls said that forming a union is important. It helps workers get job security, fair pay, and paid time off.

Amazon said that a union would make it harder for employees to talk directly with the company. Smalls also said Amazon watches workers very closely. This monitoring tracks their time and performance. He said this is one reason workers want a union.

To get enough support for a union vote, Smalls set up a tent near the Amazon warehouse. He put up a sign that said, "Sign Your Authorization Cards Here." He said Amazon tried to stop workers from forming a union. He claimed they put up anti-union signs and sent anti-union messages.

Smalls fought back by telling the public what Amazon was doing. He also shared facts about unions. For example, he said that "unionized workers make $11,000 more per year than non-union workers on average." This amount is much higher than the cost of union dues.

On January 26, 2022, the ALU announced they had enough signatures for a vote. The vote happened in March 2022. On April 1, 2022, the workers at the JFK8 warehouse voted in favor of the union. Smalls told a crowd, "We did whatever it took to connect with these workers." He added, "I hope that everybody's paying attention now because a lot of people doubted us."

In May 2022, Smalls met U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House. President Biden told him, "I like you, you're my kind of trouble." Smalls and Palmer were named two of Time magazine's 100 most influential people of 2022.

Smalls did not run for re-election as ALU president in 2024. Connor Spence was elected the new president.

Legal Cases

Smalls v. Amazon, Inc.

On November 12, 2020, Smalls filed a group lawsuit against Amazon. He said the company broke laws by putting warehouse workers at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also said they fired him unfairly. One of his lawyers said that racial discrimination was a reason for the lawsuit.

New York v. Amazon, Inc.

In February 2021, Attorney General of New York Letitia James sued Amazon. She said Amazon did not provide enough safety measures and punished employees who complained. This included Chris Smalls. James wants Amazon to change its rules and training. She also wants Smalls to get money and his job back at Amazon.

Personal Life

Smalls meeting President Joe Biden, May 2022.

Smalls was married for seven years and has three children, including twins. He often wears streetwear clothes, which is a style popular in hip hop culture. He has said that criticism of his appearance makes him want to keep dressing the way he does. He wants people to understand that "it's not about how I look."

Smalls is active on Twitter. He often tweets about the ALU and other issues related to workers' rights.

Union Vote Results

Images for kids

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  Smalls in 2020

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  Smalls being interviewed after workers voted to form a union

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  Smalls speaking to the Senate Budget Committee in May 2022

See also

In Spanish: Chris Smalls para niños

• Jaz Brisack
• Cher Scarlett
• Liz Fong-Jones