With the ballots counted in union elections at two Amazon warehouses, workers in New York have voted to unionize, marking the first time one of the company’s facilities has done so. Meanwhile, the union seeking to represent workers at an Alabama facility are challenging hundreds of votes to contest a close defeat.
The tally in Staten Island showed 2,654 votes in favor of unionizing and 2,131 against. Of the 4,852 ballots submitted, 67 were challenged, not enough to alter the outcome, according to numbers released by the National Labor Relations Board.
In a statement, Amazon said it was evaluating its options, including the possibility of “filing objections based on the inappropriate and undue influence” by the National Labor Relations Board.
“We’re disappointed with the outcome of the election in Staten Island because we believe having a direct relationship with the company is best for our employees,” the statement said.
In Bessemer, Alabama, where 875 voted for the union and 993 against, out of 2,284 total ballots, the count is closer than in a previous election at the facility, which went heavily against the union but was thrown out last year when the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Amazon had illegally interfered. A spokesperson for the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, which is seeking to represent Amazon workers in Bessemer, said that more than 400 ballots would be contested, a process that could take weeks to determine the final result.
Both the union and the employer can challenge ballots depending on multiple factors, such as whether the worker who voted held a supervisory role or how recently they worked a shift.
ALU didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Amazon declined to comment.
https://www.cupbord.com/amazon-workers-in-new-york-vote-to-unionize/
