Workers at Amazon's Bessemer, Ala., warehouse have voted not to unionize

[Fullduplexxx]

Workers at Amazon’s Bessemer, Ala., warehouse have voted not to unionize, a major victory for the e-commerce giant but not the end of the fight for labor organizers.

Out of the 3,215 employees who participated, 1,798 "no" votes and 738 "yes" votes were recorded before voided and challenged ballots were counted. Fifty-percent plus one of the employees would have had to vote “yes” for the union to gain National Labor Relations Board recognition.

Although the initial vote has gone against them, the union plans to challenge the results

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/547347-amazon-warehouse-workers-vote-not-to-unionize-in-alabama

[irisblue]

1. sigh

[Freethinker65]

2. Why challenge results?

The workers have no better opportunities in Alabama. That is why Amazon located there. A supply of low skilled workers they can train and pay less than if located anywhere else. Sad.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Because Amazon likely broke the law in what's already an undemocratic process.

[Freethinker65]

4. Even without Amazon's questionable mandatory anti-union sponsored proselytizing...

It would have been hard to get to 50% + 1. Go after Amazon for the anti-union influencing BS so that there are consequences and other businesses do not follow it. Challenging the vote will not change the outcome.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. You asked why challenge, I told you. At best there could be a new election. But organizing is a long

game anyway, no matter the bosses or state. Under the PRO Act, this wouldn't have been an issue at all.

[MichMan]

12. Amazon had the Post Office put a mailbox at the plant entrance to make it easier to vote.

Union says that was illegal even though all the mail was collected by unionized USPS employees.

People of course were free to mail their ballots from anywhere else.

Seems ridiculous to challenge a mailbox that made voting easier.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

15. The argument was that one of Amazon's messages was "vote no and put your ballot

in the box outside the door" with the implication being that Amazon would know how people voted, intimidating them to vote no or not vote at all. It didn't look like the familiar blue mailbox just sitting on the curb -- it was in a tent and looked more like one of the centralized unit you see at a cul-de-sac.

[MichMan]

16. Anyone who felt intimidated could just mail theirs from anywhere

How would Amazon know how someone who dropped off a ballot on a mailbox was voting?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

18. They wouldn't. It just creates more doubt and fear.

[MichMan]

23. Just not sure how one would argue that a landslide election was rigged against you

because the Post Office put up a convenient mailbox that made it easier for people to mail their ballots in a vote by mail election.

I understand what the basis is by the union with their complaint, but given all the recent attention to mail in voting, it makes the nature of the complaint seem ridiculous and frivolous.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

25. The mailbox is not the only complaint, although it's definitely a valid one.

The NLRB denied a drop box on Amazon property specifically because of the issues that can raise. Amazon went directly to the USPS to request a box. Not only does the action corrupt the union election, but taints the idea of mail-in voting for all elections.

[Initech]

6. Sigh... this is why we can't have nice things.

[crickets]

7. I am so disappointed for those workers.

They had a chance to get improvements to their working conditions and benefits and didn't take it. It's a shame.

[Elessar Zappa]

9. Anti union

propaganda is strong. Many workers have been fed the lie that unions will just cost them money without any benefits. We need to change that narrative somehow.

[LymphocyteLover]

14. exactly!

[Aristus]

8. Stop complaining about the lack of bathroom breaks then, kids.

This was your chance. Your shot. Your opportunity to make things better for yourselves.

Shame you passed on it...

[WhiskeyGrinder]

10. If the organizing was effective, there will be a strong union core that can keep fighting at the

facility. It's a long game.

[Klaralven]

11. At 6.3%, unionized workers in the private-sector are a rarity.

--The union membership rate of public-sector workers (34.8 percent) continued to be
more than five times higher than the rate of private-sector workers (6.3 percent).

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm

[MichMan]

13. Pretty much a big landslide.

Not even close.

[Akoto]

17. This is democracy, for better or worse. Sometimes, the voters go against themselves. nt

[WhiskeyGrinder]

19. "It's democracy" doesn't really apply to intimidation tactics.

[Takket]

20. If 3200 participated why are there only 2500 votes?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

21. Those are the votes that weren't challenged or voided.

[MichMan]

24. I dont think they are done counting yet

[lpbk2713]

22. Now they will get emails from a Nigerian prince who wants to give them money.

They voted against their own interests.