Bezos Fail: Amazon Fails to Overturn Staten Island Warehouse Union Vote

E-commerce giant Amazon has failed in its recent efforts to overturn a union vote at its JFK8 facility in Staten Island.

Engadget reports that a regional director with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has rejected the e-commerce giant’s request to overturn the outcome of a unionization vote at its JFK8 facility in Staten Island. The JFK8 facility became the first unionized Amazon warehouse in the US after the vote, which took place in April 2022, with workers voting 2,350 to 1,912 in favor of joining a union.

Alma Delia Garcia of New York Communities for Change speaks during a protest (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Amazon was quick to contest the outcome, claiming “inappropriate and undue influence” from the NLRB and accusing Amazon Labor Union organizers of intimidating staff into supporting unionization. In an effort to have the decision overturned, the company also presented its case to Cornele Overstreet, a regional director with the NLRB.

But according to Overstreet, Amazon did not provide enough evidence of improper behavior to support annulling the election results. He concurred with the labor board hearing officer’s recommendation to uphold the union vote made by JFK8 in September.

The NLRB’s decision is a significant setback for Amazon, which has long been criticized for how it treats its employees. The business is alleged to have fostered a culture of intimidation and fear, and employees have spoken out about feeling highly stressed out and under pressure to meet inflated productivity goals. The decision by the NLRB to uphold the vote clearly indicates that workers’ rights are being taken seriously. The decision to unionize at the JFK8 facility was seen as a step towards improving working conditions for Amazon employees.

Amazon Labor Union President Christian Smalls responded to the NLRB’s ruling by declaring himself “certified by Region 28 NLRB.” The union “beat [Amazon] fair and square,” he continued, and he urged Andy Jassy, the CEO of Amazon, to “come to the table” so they could negotiate a contract.

Amazon, however, is not yet prepared to concede ground. The business has declared that it will contest the ruling and present its argument before the NLRB’s board in Washington. The case “has a real chance to end up in federal court,” according to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, as it is “probably unlikely the NLRB is going to rule against itself.”