Workers at an Amazon plant in New York were rejected this Monday by a large majority to unionize, contrary to other colleagues, also from another planet in the Big Apple, who in early April supported the formation of the first union of workers of the technology giant in the United States.
“The count has ended. The election has concluded without the union having been recognized” in Staten Island, the Amazon Workers Union (ALU), made up of workers and former employees of the company who lead the union fight, said in a tweet.
“The organization will continue in this facility (the LDJ5) and beyond. The fight has just begun,” said the ALU after the defeat of organizing the workers of this second Amazon warehouse, located on Staten Island.
Amazon workers cast 618 votes – about 62% – against the union, in a process overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, according to media reports.
In the run-up to the election, Amazon continued to hold mandatory meetings to persuade its workers to reject the union effort, posted anti-union fliers, and launched a website urging people to vote against it.
Amazon was pleased with the election result, according to its spokeswoman, Kelly Nantel, according to media outlets.
During the last few months, the company, the second-largest employer in the country after the Walmart chain, has been advertising the benefits enjoyed by its workers and thus airing arguments against unionization.