Amazon allocated a staggering $14.2 million in the previous year to external consultants specifically tasked with dissuading workers from unionizing. This information comes from new disclosures submitted to the Labor Department. The substantial investment in anti-union consultants exposes the unwavering determination of the e-commerce giant to suppress collective bargaining within its workforce. Up until last year, Amazon had successfully remained union-free in the United States, until the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) triumphantly organized a warehouse in Staten Island, New York.
Despite having more than 100 warehouses across the country, Amazon has managed to keep unions at bay after the ALU’s unexpected victory in April. However, the company failed to prevent union bids at two other New York warehouses following the vote in Staten Island.
Utilizing labor consultants has been a crucial component in Amazon’s campaign against unionization. These consultants hold “captive audience” meetings with workers, delivering anti-union talking points. According to filings, the company compensates these firms at a rate of $3,000 per day, in addition to covering expenses.
In compliance with Labor Department regulations, employers and their consultants are required to disclose their arrangements, ensuring that workers are aware of who the company has hired and the amount paid to influence them regarding unionization. The deadline for employers to report their spending in 2022 was on Friday.
Spending over $1 million on labor consultants in a single year is relatively rare for a company, let alone exceeding $14 million. However, considering Amazon’s worldwide workforce of approximately 1.5 million and its $514 billion in sales last year, as stated in the company’s annual report, these figures come into perspective. Amazon has faced union organizing efforts in various locations throughout the United States, including Alabama, New York, and California.
In 2021, Amazon reportedly spent $4.3 million on anti-union consultants, as reported by HuffPost. This year’s spending, which exceeded $14 million, emphasizes the extensive resources Amazon is willing to invest in preventing unionization among its workforce.
An image depicting workers protesting at Amazon’s West Coast Air Freight Fulfillment Center in San Bernardino, California accompanies this article. The workers are advocating against alleged unsafe working conditions and low wages.
Responding to these disclosures, Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards stated that the company engages external consultants to ensure that employees are fully informed about their rights. Hards emphasized that Amazon invests billions of dollars in safety programs, wages, healthcare benefits starting from day one of employment, free college tuition, and numerous upskilling programs. However, Hards acknowledged that there are external organizations working tirelessly and expending significant resources to spread false information about Amazon to its workforce.
In the context of the company’s facilities, Hards noted that Amazon’s facilities are significantly larger than typical workplaces in the United States. She pointed out that the Staten Island warehouse alone employs around 8,000 workers, and considering the multiple organizing campaigns Amazon faced last year, the spending on anti-union consultants should be understood within that context.
Connor Spence, an Amazon worker in Staten Island and an organizer with the ALU, explained that he and his colleagues researched the anti-union consultants in their warehouse to expose their identities and fees to other workers. They openly challenged these consultants during meetings to undermine their messaging.
The ALU is currently negotiating a first contract with Amazon for workers at the Staten Island facility (JFK8). Moreover, Amazon disputed the election results, wherein the union emerged victorious with a vote of 2,654 to 2,131. The company accused organizers and the National Labor Relations Board of illegally influencing the outcome of the vote. Despite Amazon’s challenge, the union was certified in January. However, Amazon has appealed that determination, seeking a review by the labor board in Washington. According to HuffPost, Amazon was successful in wasting time and delaying bargaining, a claim that Hards refuted.
Hards maintained that the ALU and labor board members improperly influenced the election in favor of the union. She reiterated Amazon’s stance that its employees have the freedom to choose whether or not to join a union, expressing disagreement with the election outcome as it does not reflect the desires of the majority of the company’s team.
*This article has been updated to include comments from Amazon.*
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