Amazon Workers At 100 More Facilities Want To Unionize

By Max Zahn, Yahoo

Employees at more than 100 U.S.-based Amazon (AMZN) facilities have contacted Amazon Labor Union (ALU) President Chris Smalls about unionizing their workplaces since a historic union victory at a warehouse on Staten Island a week ago, Smalls told Yahoo Finance on Friday.

Smalls, a former Amazon warehouse worker who led the organizing campaign on Staten Island, said he plans to hold a “national call” with employees at the Amazon facilities within the next two weeks.

When asked whether he intends to visit some facilities in person and assist them with organizing, Smalls said, “Absolutely.”

Smalls’ remarks come a day after a filing from Amazon became public, revealing the company’s plans to formally object to the union election at an 8,000-worker warehouse on Staten Island. Amazon will allege that the ALU and the National Labor Relations Board illegally interfered with the vote by compromising the right of employees to a free and fair election, the filing said.

The filing alleges that the ALU threatened and coerced workers into casting a “yes” vote, and interfered with workers while they stood in line to vote.

ALU did not respond immediately to a request for comment about the company’s planned objections.

Eric Milner, a lawyer representing the ALU, previously told the Associated Press that the planned objections are “patently absurd.”