The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) has claimed that Amazon is unlawfully interfering with a union election at its Alabama warehouse. This is the latest in a long string of incidents related to the unionization election, some of which contributed to the results of the first election last year being thrown out by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Reuters reports that the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) has filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) claiming that Amazon has removed union literature from employee break rooms and limited workers’ access to the facilities before and after shifts at its Bessemer, Alabama warehouse. The RWDSU further alleges that Amazon has forced workers to attend anti-union meetings.
People march during a protest in support of Amazon and Starbucks workers in New York City on November 26, 2021. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP) (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
The RWDSU has previously accused Amazon of unlawfully interfering with the union election process at the same Alabama warehouse. Amazon was found to have engaged in unlawful conduct while attempting to deter labor organizing. Earlier this month, the NLRB sent unionization ballots to workers at the Alabama facility and plans to count votes at the end of March.
Last year, the RWDSU was defeated in an election at the plant, but the results were thrown out by the NLRB after discovering that Amazon unlawfully influenced the vote by encouraging workers to place ballots in a monitored mailbox on Amazon property, placing unfair pressure on workers.
As Breitbart News reported:
A major issue that RWDSU had was that Amazon installed a mailbox on-site at the facility which the union argued created a false appearance that Amazon was conducting the election and intimidated workers into voting against the union.
In August, an NLRB hearing officer suggested that the results be set aside and another vote should take place, Amazon said it would appeal the decision at the time. Region 10 Director Lisa Henderson issue the decision and directions for a second election at BHM1 this week.
Henderson wrote in her decision: “I agree with the hearing officer’s recommendations. Accordingly, I affirm the hearing officer’s rulings, I adopt her recommendation to sustain certain objections, and I order a second election.”
Amazon and a group of New York employees are set to vote on unionization at a different warehouse and an organizer believes that the vote will take place next month. If the RWDSU is unhappy with the outcome of the vote in Alabama, the recently filed lawsuit could allow them to challenge the results.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com