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Amazon: Warehouse workers want to form a union again in the USA

2021-10-22T10:35:45.258Z


Previous initiatives have been unsuccessful. Now warehouse workers from Amazon in the USA are trying again to found a union - and complaining about blockade on the part of the group.


Enlarge image

Chris Smalls, head of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU)

Photo: Seth Wenig / AP

So far, no Amazon subsidiary has managed to form a union.

But some of the employees do not give up: An association of warehouse workers from Amazon in New York has made another attempt to form a union.

The group is now complaining that the group is going "with all means" against their project.

The association is called Amazon Labor Union (ALU) and plans to submit its application along with 2000 collected support signatures to the US Labor Law Agency (NLRB) on October 25th.

If approved, a vote would be held at the Staten Island location in New York City.

The potential future union demands, among other things, higher wages, safer working conditions and more vacation.

In early April, a first attempt to form a union in a logistics center in Bessemer, Alabama, had failed.

A large majority of employees voted against employee representation.

Amazon had previously taken decisive action against the union plans.

"We are faced with the same strategies that were used in Bessemer, Alabama," said the ALU now.

There would be posters in the toilets or "outside consultants who specialize in combating trade unions" would come to the workplace to divide the workforce.

Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel rejected this, but spoke out against the formation of unions in principle.

"Our employees have a choice of whether or not to join a union," said Nantel.

But "as a company, we do not believe that unions are the best solution for our employees."

She referred to "great progress" that had already been made in recent years on the subject of salaries and occupational safety.

Amazon is criticized in the USA for the working conditions of its 950,000 employees.

Trade unions and politicians criticize the fact that the employees at Amazon are exposed to high work pressure and permanent control.

Amazon had profited massively from closed stores in the wake of the corona lockdowns.

The group employs around 1.3 million people worldwide;

In 2020, around 500,000 additional people were hired.

mmq / AFP

Source: spiegel

All business articles on 2021-10-22

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