Amazon Labor Union to appeal Albany election results

Schodack, New York - After a big setback during the union election at Amazon's ALB1 warehouse near Albany, the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) will seek to appeal the results.

Amazon Labor Union organizers Chris Smalls (l.), Heather Goodall (c.), and Connor Spence pose together outside the ALB1 facility.
Amazon Labor Union organizers Chris Smalls (l.), Heather Goodall (c.), and Connor Spence pose together outside the ALB1 facility.  © Screenshot/Twitter/AlbUnited

Amazon labor organizers were disappointed in their efforts to secure the US' second unionized Amazon facility at ALB1 as ballots were tallied on Tuesday. The final count was 406 no votes to 206 yes votes, with just over 900 people eligible to participate.

ALU supporters have accused the company of rampant union busting in order to intimidate employees into voting no. Amazon has reportedly engaged in a range of tactics in Schodack, from holding captive-audience meetings to sending in anti-labor consultants to discourage workers from unionizing.

Rather than requesting a new election, the ALU is asking the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to issue a direct bargaining order, according to More Perfect Union. Bargaining orders are given when the NLRB determines a company has violated federal labor law to such an extent that a fair union vote cannot take place. The company is then required to recognize the union and begin negotiations rather than hold a rerun election.

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The ALU believes the necessary conditions for a bargaining order are in place at ALB1, arguing that a fair election is impossible considering the efforts Amazon has made to quash the unionization push.

The ALU has galvanized workers around the country since the JFK8 warehouse became the first US facility to unionize. President Chris Smalls is set to rally on Wednesday in Moreno Valley, California, where workers have filed a union election petition at a local warehouse.

Cover photo: Screenshot/Twitter/AlbUnited

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