It’s hard to answer that question but on Dec. 23, workers at a fulfillment center in Bessemer, Ala, let the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) know that they planned to hold an election to create a union. They will be represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.
The NLRB said that it had found “sufficient showing” to all for a vote, as reported by Annie Palmer on CNBC.
While the company and the workers are citing different numbers as to what is proper, it’s a big step forward in employees' efforts to unionize the company which is has been fighting against unions since 2014. While unions have organized some of Amazon's Europe’s workforce, according to CNBC, the U.S. workforce of 1. 37 million workers (including Whole Foods) is non-union.
The push for unions gained strength this year as employees have held demonstrations at various facilities demanding safer working conditions due to COVID-19.
In April of this year, warehouse workers staged a nationwide protest. About 350 workers, from 40 warehouses signed a pledge to call off work, according to Anlina Selyukh of NPR. The workers said that the company has failed to protect them against the virus.
The company replied in a statement saying that are using ”extreme measures to keep people safe."
If there is to be a union, it will be a long time coming since workers will have to organize one plant one at a time.
But it’s more of a reality in 2021 than it has been before.
