It Looks Like Amazon Union Vote No. 2 Came Up Short -- On Staten Island. Was It The Unlawful "Pinkerton" Tactics? That's For The NLRB To Decide, Now...

These union folk are very scrappy. Do read their reactions, below. [My backgrounder here.]

All Amazon's executive management team, and hired-gun lawyers have managed to do. . . is set the jaws of these good people, here -- take a look. . . from The City:

. . .“It’s not just a JFK8 problem, it’s not an LDJ5 problem, it’s a worldwide problem with workers being mistreated at all their warehouses. . . .”

Palmer was joined at the briefing by Chris Smalls, who helped spearhead the union drive after being fired for his activism at JFK8.

“What do we do when we lose? We wipe our shoulders off and we get back up and what’s what we’re gonna do,” said Smalls. “I’m a fighter. Y’all know that I’m not going anywhere. . . .”

Amazon shut down operations inside LDJ5 for an hour each shift to pull workers into so-called captive audience meetings staged by management to dissuade workers from unionizing, workers said.

An attorney for the Amazon Labor Union, Eric Milner, said the company had pushed aggressively to derail the second campaign.

“We obviously had hoped to win, but the workers. . . unfortunately they were pressured by Amazon greatly and Amazon had one-on-one meetings — bringing workers behind closed doors and really pushing them to vote down,” said Milner.

He called the meetings “coercive” and “just relentless,” adding: “they made it seem like joining the union was going to get you in trouble, possibly result in lower wages and worse working conditions. And it’s that illegal conduct that we think cost us the election. . . .”

Milner said the union will be considering its options and weighing whether to file objections with the NLRB.

Undeterred by the loss, ALU organizers say that their biggest battle is still ahead — having Amazon recognize the union and securing a collective bargaining agreement at JFK8.

It’s a “long process,” Milner said, one that could take weeks or even years depending on the willingness of a company.

The ALU is still setting its sights beyond Staten Island. Already workers from other Amazon facilities around the country and from stores like Target, Dollar General and Walmart are seeking the union’s help on how to organize their workplaces.

“We’re all disappointed by the outcome at LDJ5 but we’re still optimistic about the movement going forward,” said Spence. “So it’s a minor setback, but it’s really nothing in the long term. . . .”

Damn. . . that sound you are hearing. . .? That's the water starting to run over the top of. . . the dam. Better buckle up Amazon -- after that disaster of a quarter, last week. . . this is going to become a raging torrent. . . onward, grinning.

नमस्ते