Amazon warehouse workers await the results of another union vote

For the fourth time this year, Amazon warehouse workers await their fate amid a crucial union vote.

On Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) at a facility near Albany, New York, over the past few days, workers have voted on whether to join the Amazon Independent Workers Union (ALU). The election results are due to be announced on Tuesday, and a simple majority would be enough to secure victory pending challenges from Amazon.

The vote, if it passes, would be only the second successful union vote in Amazon’s 28-year history, following ALU’s victory on JFK-8 facility on Staten Island in April. Since then, two other warehouses have tried to join ALU, including one directly across the street from JFK-8 — both attempts have failed.

Voting at the Albany-area facility, ALB-1, began last Wednesday and ended Monday evening. About 800 workers had the right to vote. This is approximately the same number of employees at the enterprise, according to a labor official.

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The ALU is seeking a number of changes to working conditions at ALB-1, including higher wages and better safety measures. Amazon recently the average hourly wage rose for warehouse workers a little more than a dollar. That includes an Albany facility that raised pay from $15.70 to $17 an hour, but the union is seeking more.

Injuries are another major concern for the group, with an Amazon lineup the injury rate usually outstrips the industry by a significant margin — sometimes twice as much as competitors.

Since July, ALU has filed 27 charges with the National Labor Relations Board over Amazon’s union-busting tactics at ALB-1. These include claims of wrongful dismissals and practices that restrict union organizing, such as restricting access to premises during non-working hours.

“Many of these employees are participating in a union process for the first time and their rights are being violated,” said Retu Singla, Advocate ALU. “Amazon is operating with impunity and there is no way we can stop them.”

John Flanningan, a spokesman for Amazon, denied the allegations and said the company stands for fair elections.

“We have always said that we want the voice of our employees to be heard, and we hope and expect that this process will allow that,” he said. told The Washington Post.

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As recently as last week, however, pro-union ALB-1 workers said Amazon was punishing them by threatening election observers — union representatives who were present to make sure the vote went smoothly — with unpaid leave.

Single told Vice that several workers refused to vote for fear of retaliation.

“[One worker] continues to feel uncomfortable and fearful of retaliation for serving as a union observer,” she wrote in an email to the NLRB, which was shared with Motherboard. “Obviously, the employer went for a successful cooling off [the worker’s] Section 7 rights to participate in this election of representation that is [their] right under [National Labor Relations Act].”

Organizers at the facility near Albany, too said Amazon hires “union avoidance” consultants to hold mandatory anti-union meetings. They claim that the warehouse’s main organizer has been repeatedly disciplined, and other organizers have been fired in recent months for violating internal policies.

ALU’s win at ALB-1 could have ramifications for other Amazon facilities across the country. Last week, the group filed to vote at a warehouse in Moreno Valley, Calif., at the same time workers in San Bernardino, Calif., and outside Chicago walked out. Meanwhile, another vote is currently underway at a facility in Bessemer, Alabama is considered.

With discontent growing at Amazon warehouses across the country, a victory in Albany could signal that a union deal is possible for thousands of workers across the country unhappy with working conditions.

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