Given the state of organized labor in the United States, every unionization drive is an uphill battle. And while support from the public for unions is generally positive — polling from the AFL-CIO showed that an overwhelming 77 percent support a union for Amazon workers in Bessemer — current federal labor law isn’t strong enough to thwart corporate union busting.
Throughout the entire voting period, Amazon used dubious tactics to mislead and intimidate workers. From attempts to delay the vote multiple times, to creating a “Do It Without Dues” campaign (despite Alabama’s “right to work” rules, which prohibit mandatory union member dues), and restricting mail-in ballots, it’s clear the cards are stacked against the workers.
“Americans want to organize unions,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. “And it should never be this hard to do so.”
The Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), which helped organize the drive in Bessemer, has announced that it is contesting the results of the election, alleging Amazon interfered with the right of Bessemer employees to vote in a free and fair election — a right protected under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.
“Working people deserve better than the way Amazon has conducted itself during this campaign,” said RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum in a statement. “This campaign has proven that the best way for working people to protect themselves and their families is to join together in a union. However, Amazon’s behavior during the election cannot be ignored and our union will seek remedy to each and every improper action Amazon took. We won’t rest until workers’ voices are heard fairly under the law.”
Going forward, a clear way to ensure fair, democratic union elections is for the U.S. Senate to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. The PRO Act, which passed the U.S. House in March, would add real teeth to existing federal labor laws. Nearly all of the union-busting tactics deployed by Amazon would be banned and enforced under the bill, including:
- Forcing workers to attend meetings where supervisors promote anti-union messaging without competing views.
- Disrupting the election process by delaying or stalling the vote.
- Retaliating against workers for organizing for better conditions.
- Fining employers up to $100,000 for NLRA violations.
While it will take weeks for the NLRB to review the potential election violations committed by Amazon, the results are a clear indication that if the law had already been in place, this would have been a much more transparent process. Union drives are not stopping. It is up to Congress to ensure that workers in the future are protected from corporate greed.