Amazon Pushes Back Against Worker Unionization Efforts

Following worker strikes amid the pandemic, Amazon (AMZN) is now faced with pushback from employees that are looking to unionize.

The e-commerce giant’s workers will hold a union election in 2021, the first since 2014, that could allow employees at a fulfillment warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, to unionize, Reuters reported.

If a “yes” vote is recorded, it will be a first for any Amazon facility in the U.S., but the road to unionization won't be an easy one. Amazon is fighting back against the push by its workers.

Amazon has long fought against the unionizing of its workers, training its managers to look for union organizing activity among employees. In a statement to Reuters, the company said, “We don’t believe this group represents the majority of our employees’ views. Our employees choose to work at Amazon because we offer some of the best jobs available everywhere we hire.”

Amazon said that the average pay at the Bessemer fulfillment warehouse is $15.30 per hour and includes health and retirement benefits.

If the union vote moves forward, workers in Bessemer will join the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). Union leaders of RWDSU, used a social media campaign and shared union authorization cards to gather enough interest to hold an election at the facility.

Terms of the election include the inclusion of seasonal workers as well as process assistants, which previously were questioned based on their supervisory position level, Reuters said. The date for the union election at the facility will be set by the government labor board.

The news of the union vote comes as Amazon saw a surge in online demand as the coronavirus pandemic hit. Workers claimed conditions at facilities put them at risk for contracting the coronavirus, but the retailer has since said it has invested in safety measures to protect its workforce following the onset of the pandemic.

Workers also staged a series of walkouts this year as they called for hazard pay, better working conditions, and COVID sick leave.

Amazon has said that over 19,800 employees of its employees are believed to have contracted the virus this year, causing it to implement a testing program. Last month, it planned to ramp up to more than 50,000 tests a day across 650 work sites.

Shares of Amazon were trading at $3,203 as of premarket open on Wednesday, down $3.52 or 0.11%.