A few days ago we reported the news of the opening of Amazon’s first syndicate in the United Statesbut it appears the company is already considering appeal. For the time being, the company is thinking of an injunction to postpone the formal birth of the association, so that it can find evidence to block the proceedings. According to the company, the union appears to have “threatened employees to force them to vote ‘yes'”.
Amazon plans to appeal against union formation
It Staten Island plant, known as JFK8, earlier this week, he voted to form the first union within the largest e-commerce company in the world and beyond. With 2654 votes in favor against 2131 votes againstl‘Amazon Labor Union (ALU), union formed earlier this year, it became the reference body for workers in the plants. A success, after last year at the plant in Bessemer in Alabama the formation of a union had been rejected by votes.
However, it seems that Amazon wants to question the legitimacy of this vote. Already at the close of the voting, the company had issued a press release in which it explained that it would evaluate its options. Including the possibility to appeal to the NLRB, lAmerican federal body that considers trade union disputes. And it looks like this is the next step for the company, according to The Verge.
The criticisms of the company
According to what emerges from the draft document obtained by The Verge, Amazon would like more time to collect evidence. Evidence that the union allegedly “threatened employees for force them to vote yes ” and that he would “campaign and interfere with employees queuing to vote”. And even that he would “threaten immigrants to lose their benefits if they didn’t vote.”
According to internet sources of the NLRB, Amazon has not yet officially delivered the document. But if he did he would have time until April 22 to bring evidence of what has been said.
In response to Amazon’s alleged allegations, an Amazon Labor Union spokesperson replied to Reuters. “To say that the Amazon Labor Union threatened employeesi is really absurd ”.
The reference is that when the Staten Island plant began its union campaigns last year, the NLRB itself launched an investigation into alleged threats from some Amazon executives to workers to vote no. According to what Vice reported, some managers would have called the workers for an interview to talk about the matter. In tones that the NLRB called menacing.
Both parties would therefore be reporting possible offenses of the opponents, leaving the situation still very pending. Amazon is expected to file a possible injunction by the end of the week, which could postpone (or even cancel) the start of union negotiations. We will keep you posted.