Amazon is known for its fast delivery. But finding out if Amazon warehouse workers voted for or against unionization will take a little longer.
The last day for the nearly 6,000 workers in Bessemer, Alabama, to vote was more than a week ago. But it could still take a few more (or more) days to add up all the votes before knowing the outcome.
The vote itself has attracted national attention because of the potentially broad implications. Labor organizers hope a victory at Bessemer will inspire thousands of workers across the country (and not just Amazon) to consider unionizing. For Amazon, it would deal a huge blow to its profits and could disrupt its business operations.
Here’s what we know about voting:
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WHAT DO THE ORGANIZERS WANT?
In addition to paying more, they want Amazon to give warehouse workers more rest time and treat them with respect. Many complain about their 10-hour workday with only two 30-minute breaks. Workers are standing for most of that time, packing boxes, product shelves, or unpacking goods that arrive in trucks.
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WHY ARE THESE NOW?
Labor historians point to two reasons, the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Workers feel betrayed by employers who did not do enough to protect them from the virus. At the beginning of the pandemic, for example, Amazon workers kept giving up because they said they were not given protective equipment or were told when colleagues tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, the Black Lives Matter movement has inspired people to demand that they be treated with respect and dignity. Most of the workers at the Bessemer warehouse are black, according to organizers.
The last time Amazon workers tried to unionize was in 2014, when a small group of mechanics working in a Delaware warehouse tried to organize. But this effort was eventually rejected.
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WHAT IS AMAZON’S ANSWER?
Amazon argues that the Bessemer store, which opened about a year ago, created thousands of jobs with an average salary of $ 15.30 per hour, more than double the minimum wage in Alabama. Workers also receive benefits, including health, vision and dental insurance, without paying union dues, the company said.
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HOW DO VOTES BREAK?
Since March 30, the National Labor Relations Board, which is overseeing the process, has gone through voting with representatives from Amazon and the Retail, Wholesale and Union Store Union. The names and signatures were reviewed, but not how these workers voted, which will be done later on an anonymous account. Voters put their ballots in two envelopes to keep the vote secret.
Amazon or the retail union could challenge these votes for a variety of reasons, such as the person no longer working in the warehouse or having a job title that disqualifies them.
Contested votes will be set aside and left unopened. Starting Thursday or Friday, the other “yes” or “no” votes will be counted. Media members will be able to view this count via a live stream. Which side wins is determined by the majority of votes cast.
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WHEN WILL WE KNOW THE RESULTS?
This is not yet clear. It depends on how many people have voted. The retail union said on Wednesday that more than 3,200 votes were cast and that there were hundreds of contested votes, but did not give a specific number. The labor board did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday night. If the number of votes cast is sufficient to change the final result, hearings may be held to count those votes.
Part of the reason the process takes longer than usual is because of the coronavirus. Union elections are usually held in person in the workplace, said Andrew MacDonald, a partner at the Fox Rothschild law firm.
But the labor board ruled it would not be safe to have a vote in person and instead asked workers to vote by mail. Face-to-face elections are usually quicker, because labor board agents can check if a worker is eligible to vote when he or she shows up, instead of checking each envelope with postal votes, MacDonald said.
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WHAT HAPPENS IF THE UNION WINS?
Normally, Amazon should start negotiating a contract with New York-based RWDSU, which leads organizational efforts for Bessemer warehouse employees and represents 100,000 workers at poultry plants, soda bottling facilities and retailers such as Macy’s and H&M. But the company could file objections against the union, delaying contract negotiations by weeks or months.
In the past, labor experts said employers have done all sorts of things to not recognize a union, including closing shops or warehouses. In 2005, for example, Walmart closed a store in Canada where about 200 workers were about to win a union contract. At the time, Walmart said the demands of union negotiators made it impossible for the store to be maintained.
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WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU LOSE YOUR UNION?
The retail union could file charges of unfair labor practices against Amazon under the conduct of the Seattle-based company during the election to influence the outcome. Under this scenario, the union says the NLRB would schedule a hearing and determine whether election results should be set aside because the employer “created an atmosphere of confusion or fear of retaliation” for workers. If this happens, another election may take place.
In cases where the labor board finds that the employer did something extremely blatant to violate labor laws, it can overturn election results, MacDonald said.
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Follow Joseph Pisani on Twitter: @ josephpisani