As the country cheers on Starbucks workers organizing, the votes will be counted this week in two big union drives at Amazon warehouses—one in Alabama and one in New York.
Voting concluded March 25 in Bessemer, Alabama, after mail-in ballots were sent in early February to more than 6,100 workers who are deciding whether to join the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union. This is a re-vote after Amazon’s interference tainted the first election, a landslide defeat last April.
Meanwhile in an in-person election at the sprawling Amazon warehouse known as JFK8 on Staten Island in New York City, more than 8,000 warehouse workers will decide whether to unionize with the Amazon Labor Union, an independent union formed there last year. The election runs through March 30, with results expected the following day.
The number of workers at the warehouse is unclear; figures range from 6,000 to 9,600 employees, and the petitioned-for unit was 5,000. Last November the ALU withdrew its petition because it failed to meet the 30 percent showing of interest. This time around, the union submitted more than 30 percent.
A second Staten Island warehouse at the same complex is also gearing up for an election to join ALU. Voting is slated to begin April 25 at a sortation center known as LDJ5, employing roughly 1,500 workers; the ballot count is May 2.
More than 2.4 million packages are delivered daily in the New York City metro area, and Staten Island is a major...
Indian-origin urologist Jitesh Patel will have to pay $14 million to settle allegations against him that he defrauded healthcare programs by performing unnecessary procedures on his patients. An e...