Amazon Challenges Vote to Unionize One of Its Warehouses

​Amazon has filed numerous objections to invalidate a vote to unionize one of its warehouses, JFK8 in Staten Island, N.Y.—objections that will be aired at a hearing starting May 23 and that could take weeks to resolve. We've gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other media outlets.

Election Result Might Be Overturned

Amazon has accused the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB's) Brooklyn, N.Y., office of supporting the union drive and alleged that union organizers intimidated workers to vote in their favor. Amazon has secured the case's transfer to the NLRB's Phoenix region. That office's director said the company's claims "could be grounds for overturning the election." The Amazon Labor Union has said Amazon's objections have no merit and are stalling the union's certification.

(CNBC)

'Extremely Significant' Win

The union's success at JFK8 "is indeed extremely significant," said Dan Altchek, an attorney with Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr in Baltimore and New York City.

Of the approximately 8,000 employees at Staten Island's JFK8 Amazon warehouse who were eligible to vote, more than 5,000 cast ballots, he noted.

"A victory for the union among a group that large cannot be dismissed as inconsequential," Altchek said. "Other Amazon employees have seen that an organizing drive—one without financial or other material support from any established labor union, it appears—can withstand a campaign by the employer with virtually unlimited resources. This could embolden employees at other Amazon locations who are interested in unionizing."

(SHRM Online)

Union Rejected at Another Warehouse in Staten Island

Nonetheless, a month after Amazon workers voted to unionize the JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island, Amazon employees overwhelmingly rejected attempts to organize another facility in the borough, the LDJ5 warehouse.

(SHRM Online)

Union Organizer Calls for Amazon to Be Barred from Government Contracts

Chris Smalls, president of the Amazon Labor Union, maintained at a May 5 Senate Budget Committee hearing that Amazon violates labor laws and, as a result, should be barred from being awarded government contracts. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., ranking member on the committee, called the hearing topic "radical" and criticized committee chair Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., for singling out Amazon.

(CNBC)

Senior Managers at JFK8 Fired

On May 5, more than six senior managers at the JFK8 warehouse were fired outside the company's performance review cycle. The managers saw the terminations as a response to the victory by the Amazon Labor Union. According to Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel, the company made the management changes after several weeks of evaluating the operations and leadership at JFK8. "Part of our culture at Amazon is to continually improve, and we believe it's important to take time to review whether or not we're doing the best we could be for our team," Nantel said.

(The New York Times)