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Amazon Warehouse Workers Vote Against Forming The Company’s First Union


Amazon warehouse employees in Bessemer, Alabama have voted against forming a union in a decisive poll for the proponents of unionization at the company’s logistics facilities. The number of votes against forming the union were 1,789 compared to 738 in favor.


The warehouse, which opened in 2020, would have been the first unionized facility for the second largest employer in the United States. The election has been attracting media attention for months and was interpreted as a leading indicator of future developments.


The leading force behind the union drive, known as The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, has said Amazon’s anti-union tactics, instilling fear and confusion, are responsible for the measure’s defeat. Amazon has rejected these accusations and pointed toward the union’s, media’s, and policymaker’s role in the spread of anti-Amazon messages.


The atmosphere among the workers continues to be tense with some criticizing workplace policy and micromanagement while others highlight the relatively high wages and leading insurance benefits.


While labor experts are convinced that the defeat will have dampening effects on organized labor efforts across the country, many analysts believe that unionization aspirations at Amazon fulfillment centers will most likely continue, particularly in states with higher living costs.


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