Union Vote Counting Commences at Amazon’s Bessemer Facility

Today marks the beginning of ballot tabulation in the landmark endeavor to establish a union at Amazon’s fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama. The warehouse, which commenced operations precisely one year ago to address escalating demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic, has emerged as a focal point for a significant labor movement in contemporary American history.

Voting Process and Initial Challenges

Voting, conducted via mail, initiated on February 8th. This followed repeated attempts by Amazon to postpone the election or mandate in-person ballot submission, despite ongoing pandemic-related restrictions. The period preceding yesterday’s submission deadline witnessed heightened tensions, even exceeding expectations given Amazon’s assertive public relations practices.

Amazon’s Anti-Union Tactics

Specifically, the e-commerce corporation utilized Twitter as a key component of its aggressive campaign against unionization. Simultaneously, the company aimed to enhance its portrayal of existing work environments while directly addressing progressive political figures, such as Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders was instrumental in advocating for the $15/hour minimum wage now offered at Amazon warehouses.

Internal Concerns and Executive Involvement

Reports indicate that the company’s confrontational stance towards Sanders and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren originated at the highest levels. Founder Jeff Bezos, who is scheduled to relinquish his CEO role later this year, reportedly encouraged the contentious approach. Internal reports suggest employees raised concerns regarding the problematic tweets, but these concerns were subsequently dismissed.

Shifting Strategies and NLRB Intervention

Following the controversial tweets and denials of reports concerning Amazon employees resorting to urinating in bottles due to demanding quotas, the Amazon News Twitter account adopted a more positive tone. However, activity surrounding the vote continued, including a proposal to install surveillance cameras to monitor ballot-carrying packages. This proposal was ultimately rejected by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Vote Counting and Potential Outcomes

As the vote counting process begins, immediate results should not be anticipated. The procedure is methodical and deliberate, incorporating mechanisms for objections from either party. Amazon’s recent actions demonstrate an understanding that the outcome extends beyond the approximately 6,000 employees at the Bessemer location. A company victory would be framed as validation of its working conditions, while a successful unionization vote could trigger similar movements throughout the organization.

Global Labor Actions

This week, Amazon employees in Germany are engaging in a four-day strike, mirroring a similar action taken in Italy last week.

RWDSU President Stuart Applebaum stated, “It’s not solely workers in Alabama; it’s workers globally asserting to Jeff Bezos that enough is enough. Regardless of their language, Amazon workers worldwide will no longer tolerate the working conditions they have been subjected to for an extended period.”

NLRB Oversight and Potential Legal Challenges

The NLRB is responsible for overseeing the vote count. Should workers vote to unionize, they will become members of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). This organization has also faced resistance from Amazon. As the company communicated to TechCrunch last week:

Ballots have been delivered to the NLRB’s Birmingham offices. Numerous grounds exist for either side to challenge the results, encompassing issues such as signature verification and employee eligibility. Even after the votes are tallied, the process is likely to be prolonged, with court battles being a probable outcome, potentially extending the timeline for weeks or months.

Unusual Political Alignment

This high-stakes battle has fostered uncommon political alliances across the ideological spectrum. Few events have united politicians ranging from Marco Rubio to Sanders, Warren, and Joe Biden, particularly concerning the traditionally divisive issue of labor unions.

Appelbaum remarked in a statement released late last week, “This campaign has already achieved a victory in many respects. Regardless of the vote’s outcome, we believe we have paved the way for increased organizing efforts nationwide.”