Workers at an Amazon warehouse in North Carolina have voted against unionizing, marking another defeat for unionization efforts at the company. Nearly 75% of employees at the Amazon fulfillment center in Garner, near Raleigh, voted against joining a grassroots labor group called Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment. According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), 2,447 workers opposed union representation, while 829 supported it. The NLRB had noted that 4,300 Amazon employees were eligible to vote in the election, which took place from Monday to Saturday. Rev. Ryan Brown, a co-founder of the group and former Amazon worker, acknowledged the likely outcome, saying, “We had already braced ourselves for a loss.”
Rev. Ryan Brown, a co-founder of the group and former Amazon worker, explained, “We were aware that historically, the odds were against us winning for a few reasons. First, we’re in the South. Second, the average worker in North Carolina has little knowledge about unions, their benefits, and what they could offer.”
The result in North Carolina came just weeks after workers at a Whole Foods Market in Pennsylvania voted to unionize, marking the first successful unionization at the grocery chain, which is owned by Amazon. Following the union victory, Whole Foods requested the NLRB to invalidate the election results, claiming the voting process was compromised.
In 2022, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, successfully unionized with the Amazon Labor Union, which later teamed up with the Teamsters last year. However, Amazon contested the election outcome and has refused to engage in contract negotiations.
Meanwhile, the company has managed to block union victories at another Staten Island warehouse, as well as at facilities near Albany, New York, and in Bessemer, Alabama.
In November, an NLRB administrative law judge ordered a third union election for Amazon workers at the Bessemer warehouse after finding that the company committed six violations prior to the original election, which will now be rerun in March 2022. This rerun followed objections filed by the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, which had sought to represent workers in Bessemer after the initial election resulted in a union loss.
Workers with Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment (CAUSE) have been organizing at the North Carolina warehouse since January 2022. Co-founder Ryan Brown explained in a recent interview that he began the organizing effort because he believed Amazon was not providing adequate protection for workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response, Amazon stated on Saturday that it already offers many of the benefits that unions typically seek, including safe and inclusive workplaces and competitive pay.
Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards expressed satisfaction with the vote outcome, saying, “We’re glad that our team in Garner was able to have their voices heard, and that they chose to keep a direct relationship with Amazon.”