Amazon fulfillment center warehouse.
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Amazon warehouse workers in an Alabama warehouse may begin voting by mail in early February on whether or not to form a union, an auditor for the National Labor Relations Board ruled Friday.
Approximately 6,000 employees at the fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama, will vote on February 8 to be represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. The ballots must be received by the NLRB regional office on March 29, after which the board will start counting the ballots the next day at 10.00 a.m. CT.
The decision is a blow to Amazon, which had pushed for personal elections at the Bessemer facility known as BHM1.
An RWDSU spokesperson declined to comment. Amazon did not respond to a request for comment. An Amazon spokesperson previously said the company does not believe the RWDSU “represents the majority of our employees’ views.”
The verdict kicks off what will be a closely monitored union vote at one of the country’s largest employers. Unions have more foothold among some of Amazon’s European workforce, but the company has largely succeeded in thwarting US organizational efforts
Amazon has set up a website to advertise its position on the union action of the Alabama warehouses, urging workers to “do it for free,” referring to the cost of membership when they join a union.
“We’ve got you covered with high pay, health care, vision and dental benefits, as well as a safety committee and appeals process,” said the website, which was first reported by The Washington Post. “There is so much MORE you can do for your career and your family without paying dues.”
Amazon hasn’t had a substantial union vote since 2014, when repair technicians in a warehouse in Delaware didn’t gather enough votes to form a union. Since then, protests related to Prime Day and other events, as well as the coronavirus pandemic, have laid the groundwork for increasing organizational efforts among some sections of the workforce across the country.
This story develops. Check back regularly for updates.