"A historic day": a first union is born at Amazon in the United States
Union organizer Christian Smalls celebrates with Amazon workers the creation of the company's first union in the United States, April 1, 2022. AFP - ANDREA RENAULT
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
The first union was born at Amazon in the United States.
Workers at an e-commerce giant's warehouse in New York have voted to form a union.
The victory was even hailed by President Joe Biden.
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This is an unexpected victory for Amazon employees.
Despite pressure from their company, employees of an Amazon site located in the Staten Island district of New York
voted 55% for the creation of a union organization.
The victory was hailed by the American president himself, who said he was "
happy
" that the employees could be heard.
The management did everything
to prevent this vote
by using drastic means.
The firm hired specialized anti-union consultants.
She also organized several mandatory meetings with employees to explain the disadvantages of a union.
Amazon fears a chain reaction
The small group of workers behind the creation of the union also did not have US law on their side because the current union law is favorable to employers.
The e-commerce giant, which is considering an appeal, fears a chain reaction within its warehouses in the United States.
"
It's truly a historic day
," said union lawyer Eric Milner.
"I think it can start a chain reaction, from one warehouse to another
," he says.
The union, called Amazon Labor Union, is counting on this and is already mobilized for its next battle.
A similar vote will be organized at the end of the month in a sorting center in the same district.
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To read also: United States: Starbucks lays off employees wanting to build a union branch
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