State Island Amazon workers withdraw union attempt
Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, NY, have withdrawn the request for a union vote, according to the group leading the effort.
Organizers at the facility said late last month that they had collected more than 2,000 signed cards authorizing the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), an independent organization, to represent them.
Christian Smalls, a former worker at the plant who heads ALU, said on Twitter on Friday that ALU “temporarily withdrew” its request because the card check “did not go in favor”
However, he said the group would resubmit the application “ASAP”.
Update today, we have temporarily withdrawn the request for an election @amazonlabor has met all the requirements along with submitting over 2K-signed cards. We are facing a turnover rate of 1[ads1]50% so the card check did not go in favor this time do not be discouraged, we will resubmit ASAP
– Christian Smalls (@Shut_downAmazon) November 13, 2021
Kayla Blado, a spokeswoman for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), confirmed to The Hill that the union withdrew the petition, but gave no further comment. NLRB is a federal agency that monitors the efforts of workers to organize and collective bargaining.
The NLRB normally requires authorization cards signed by workers from at least 30 percent of the proposed entity, according to The Washington Post.
And while Smalls said that ALU received 2,000 cards, Amazon filed documents with the NLRB indicating that they have 9,660 workers on the payroll at the plant in Staten Island, Norway Post reported.
Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for Amazon, told Reuters that the company’s focus “remains on listening directly to our employees and continually improving on their behalf.”
The Hill has contacted ALU, NLRB and Amazon for comments.
The withdrawal is the second time this year an attempt to unionize Amazon’s warehouse workers fell short.
In early April, workers at a warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., Voted against having the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union represent them.
However, the poll in Alabama could be held back after an NLRB hearing officer found that Amazon was pushing to install a mailbox outside the facility, and intervened in the process.
Updated 22:35
