The latest effort to unionize among Amazon warehouse workers fell short by a wide margin this morning. The National Labor Relations Board tallied results from last week’s vote, showing a significant win for the corporation’s anti-union push.
Of the 949 eligible fulfillment center staff near Albany, New York, 643 votes were cast in total. The vote against won 406 to 206, with 31 challenges and four voided ballots. The challenged ballots are nowhere near the number required to close the gap.
As ever, the final results need to be certified by the National Labor Relations Board, and if past is any prologue, a challenge seems likely from the union. The involved parties have five days to issue a formal challenge to the results.
No doubt a decisive decision such as this will be seen as a major setback for unionization efforts that have been gaining momentum in the company for a number of years. This April, workers at a Staten Island fulfillment center voted in favor of Amazon’s first union.
Overall, however, the results have been a mixed bag, including failures to unionize at another Staten Island location and one in Bessemer, Alabama, which was the initial flashpoint for the growing efforts. Meanwhile, workers across the U.S. recently won an hourly wage increase from $15.70 to $17 an hour, as the effects of inflation continue to be felt across the country.
Amazon offered the following statement to TechCrunch on this morning’s news:
We’re glad that our team in Albany was able to have their voices heard, and that they chose to keep the direct relationship with Amazon as we think that this is the best arrangement for both our employees and customers. We will continue to work directly with our teammates in Albany, as we do everywhere, to keep making Amazon better every day.