[New York] 2,000 Amazon workers will seek federal authorisation to unionise

Amazon warehouse workers on Staten Island, New York, have signed a call for unionisation, Business Standard reports.

The move is a controversial one for the retail giant, it turned over $386 billion in 2020.

The organisers said that today they plan to ask federal labour officials to authorise a union vote.

The union activities happening less than 12 miles from Wall Street, a landmark of global capitalism.

It takes increasing unionisation efforts at Amazon to the next level. With 950,000 workers, the retailer is the second-largest private employer in the US after Walmart.

"We intend to fight for higher wages, job security, safer working conditions, more paid time off, better medical leave options, and longer breaks," Amazon Labor Union (ALU) said on October 21.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has openly fought against labour organising.

In April, 6,000 warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama, voted (and rejected) the biggest union campaign yet.

The vote followed President Joe Biden coming out rather publicly in favour of unionisation.

"Workers in Alabama - and all across America - are voting on whether to organise a union in their workplace. It's a vitally important choice - one that should be made without intimidation or threats by employers. Every worker should have a free and fair choice to join a union," President Biden had tweeted on March 1, embedding a video statement.

It is unusual for a sitting American President to be so vocal. Although President Biden was careful not to direct workers to vote in favour of unionisation, which would be a violation of US labour law.

Biden didn't name Amazon, however, there was little doubt left in his direct reference to Alabama warehouse workers. He also denounced anti-union efforts, aiming bluntly at Bezos.

After the win in Alabama, Amazon was reportedly accused of stepping outside allowable guidelines and improperly pressurising warehouse workers against unionising.

As the Bessemer vote failed, the Staten Island effort began. It was led by ALU, a new self-organised worker group.

The group's president, Chris Smalls, staged a walkout at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to protest working conditions. He was fired. Amazon said the firing was because MR Small violated safety guidelines.

NLRB needs to approve workers' requests for a union vote. Today Smalls and his team reportedly intend to file around 2,000 cards, signed by Staten Island staff, saying they want this.

Four Amazon facilities in the Staten Island cluster, estimated to employ 7,000 people, are the targets of this push.

Rules require the organisers to submit signatures from 30 per cent of the workers they seek to represent.

In a statement on Thursday, Amazon spokesperson Kelly A. Nantel said unions are not "the best answer" for workers... Every day we empower people to find ways to improve their jobs, and when they do that we want to make those changes quickly. That type of continuous improvement is harder to do quickly and nimbly with unions in the middle".

In Alabama, workers continue to seek a second chance to vote on unionising. A regional director is weighing whether to schedule a new election.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has also been targeting Amazon. Its efforts include a push for warehouse workers in Canada.

Amazon warehouse workers on Staten Island, New York, have signed a call for unionisation, Business Standard reports.

The move is a controversial one for the retail giant, it turned over $386 billion in 2020.

The organisers said that today they plan to ask federal labour officials to authorise a union vote.

The union activities happening less than 12 miles from Wall Street, a landmark of global capitalism.

It takes increasing unionisation efforts at Amazon to the next level. With 950,000 workers, the retailer is the second-largest private employer in the US after Walmart.

"We intend to fight for higher wages, job security, safer working conditions, more paid time off, better medical leave options, and longer breaks," Amazon Labor Union (ALU) said on October 21.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has openly fought against labour organising.

In April, 6,000 warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama, voted (and rejected) the biggest union campaign yet.

The vote followed President Joe Biden coming out rather publicly in favour of unionisation.

"Workers in Alabama - and all across America - are voting on whether to organise a union in their workplace. It's a vitally important choice - one that should be made without intimidation or threats by employers. Every worker should have a free and fair choice to join a union," President Biden had tweeted on March 1, embedding a video statement.

It is unusual for a sitting American President to be so vocal. Although President Biden was careful not to direct workers to vote in favour of unionisation, which would be a violation of US labour law.

Biden didn't name Amazon, however, there was little doubt left in his direct reference to Alabama warehouse workers. He also denounced anti-union efforts, aiming bluntly at Bezos.

After the win in Alabama, Amazon was reportedly accused of stepping outside allowable guidelines and improperly pressurising warehouse workers against unionising.

As the Bessemer vote failed, the Staten Island effort began. It was led by ALU, a new self-organised worker group.

The group's president, Chris Smalls, staged a walkout at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to protest working conditions. He was fired. Amazon said the firing was because MR Small violated safety guidelines.

NLRB needs to approve workers' requests for a union vote. Today Smalls and his team reportedly intend to file around 2,000 cards, signed by Staten Island staff, saying they want this.

Four Amazon facilities in the Staten Island cluster, estimated to employ 7,000 people, are the targets of this push.

Rules require the organisers to submit signatures from 30 per cent of the workers they seek to represent.

In a statement on Thursday, Amazon spokesperson Kelly A. Nantel said unions are not "the best answer" for workers... Every day we empower people to find ways to improve their jobs, and when they do that we want to make those changes quickly. That type of continuous improvement is harder to do quickly and nimbly with unions in the middle".

In Alabama, workers continue to seek a second chance to vote on unionising. A regional director is weighing whether to schedule a new election.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has also been targeting Amazon. Its efforts include a push for warehouse workers in Canada.