Amazon workers in New York file petition for union election
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Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island are protesting the need to close the location and clean up after one worker tested positive for coronavirus. This was in response to the New York City staffer who had been diagnosed with the virus on March 30, 2020.
Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images
AmazonAccording to the labor organization behind this effort, workers in a second warehouse located on Staten Island, New York have submitted a petition for a union.
One of Amazon’s Staten Island workers, known as LDJ5, is seeking representation from the Amazon Labor Union. It is a group of former and current Amazon employees. Chris Smalls (a former Amazon employee and leader of the ALU) said that ALU electronically filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to form a union.
ALU also has an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island called JFK8. It is less than a mile from LDJ5. ALU was forced to refileThe NLRB found that the union petition had failed to collect enough signatures of employees for an election. The NLRB deemed the group sufficient to proceed with an election last week. A hearing has been scheduled for February 16.
Amazon stated in filings with NLRB that it is still skeptical of the ALU’s ability to gather enough signatures for an election at JFK8.
Amazon faces a surge in union activity from its delivery and warehouse workers. This petition is being submitted at a time when Amazon is experiencing heightened labor tensions. Others retailers include Starbucks, are seeing an uptick in organizing efforts.
Workers at Amazon’s Alabama warehouses can vote on Friday whether they want to rejoin the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union. The NLRB authorized a second electionThe vote was held at Bessemer in Alabama after Amazon interfered with it. This occurred following an investigation by the agency.
Amazon employees have been organized by major unions for many years. The RWDSU, the United Food & Commercial Workers Union and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters have all approachedRecent Amazon employees have spoken out about their enthusiasm for organizing.
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