Employees at an Amazon warehouse on Staten Island across the street from the first warehouse to unionize have voted to reject unionization. A lawyer representing the Amazon Labor Union says it plans to challenge the vote.
CNBC reports that employees at an Amazon warehouse on Staten island have overwhelmingly rejected a unionization effort just one month after an Amazon warehouse within walking distance became the first in the United States to vote to join a union. The final vote tally at the LDJ5 warehouse was 380 votes in favor of the union and 618 opposed.
Officials stated that 1,633 workers at the warehouse were eligible to vote on joining the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) and the votes still need to be certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Seth Goldstein, an attorney representing the ALU, stated that the labor union plans to challenge the outcome of the vote.
The ALU called for all LDJ5 workers to receive $30 an hour; a steep increase given that the average hourly starting pay at Amazon fulfillment centers is $18 an hour, according to Amazon. The union also called for longer breaks and improved employee benefits.
Amazon has worked hard to crack down on unionization at its facilities. The company allegedly held mandatory meetings at the LDJ5 warehouse where employees sat through anti-union presentations. The company also hired an influential Democratic pollster to assist with its anti-union campaign at both Staten Island warehouses.
In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson said: “We’re glad that our team at LDJ5 were able to have their voices heard. We look forward to continuing to work directly together as we strive to make every day better for our employees.”
Read more at CNBC here.
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