BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) -- Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union released a statement Wednesday after an administrative law judge ordered a third union election Amazon in Bessemer.
The warehouse in Bessemer became the site of the first union election by Amazon workers in 2021, but workers voted against unionizing. That result was voided after the National Labor Review Board found Amazon interfered in the process.
A second vote was held in 2022 and employees voted down the union 993 to 875 against forming a union.
However, the results of that election have now been voided after Judge Michael Silverstein said the Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union proved multiple unfair labor practices occurred during the run up to the 2022 union vote.
A new election will be held at a date and time yet to be determined.
Applebaum released the following statement:
We never doubted that Amazon was going to take every opportunity, legal or not, to deny its employees at its Bessemer warehouse a free and fair election. These were the first Amazon warehouse workers anywhere in the nation who filed for union representation.
Amazon has been found yet again to have violated basic labor laws. Just as was ordered after the first election, a new election, now second rerun election, has again been ordered based on Amazon’s conduct, this time before even determining the final results of the rerun election.
We reject, however, the ALJ’s decision not to provide any of the significant and meaningful remedies which we requested and would be required for a free and fair election. There is no reason to expect a different result in a third election – unless there are additional remedies. Otherwise, Amazon will continue repeating its past behavior and the Board will continue ordering new elections.
There are two things clear in this decision; Amazon broke the law yet again, and labor law is stunningly broken in this country. We take exception to the decision of Administrative Law Judge Michael P. Silverstein. Amazon must be held accountable, and we’ll be filing accordingly.
Stuart Applebaum