Both Amazon and the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), the entity responsible for organizing the JFK-8 union drive as well as a vote at a second Staten Island warehouse across the street, LDJ-5, will be able to present testimony beginning May 23. The first warehouse union victory in Amazon’s 28-year history now hangs in the balance.
Crucially, Amazon was also able to get the case moved. It was transferred to the NLRB’s Phoenix office last month after the massive marketplace accused the board’s Brooklyn office of supporting the union drive, according to an NLRB filing.
Cornele Overstreet, the Phoenix office’s director, is now in charge. And on Friday, Overstreet said in an NLRB filing that evidence supporting Amazon’s claims “could be grounds for overturning the election.”
Overstreet did not specify which of Amazon’s claims might hold water. But he did indicate that the hearing process beginning later this month could take weeks. After that, an NLRB hearing officer will recommend whether or not to uphold the vote.
Unions, Semiconductors, and Employment
Amazon, though, is dubious. Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokeswoman, said in a statement, “We’ve always said that we want our employees to have their voices heard, and in this case, that didn’t happen – fewer than a third of the employees at the site voted for the union, and overall turnout was unusually low.”
“On April 22, we filed evidence supporting our objections which we believe will demonstrate that the actions of the Region and the ALU improperly suppressed and influenced the vote,” Nantel added. “We’re pleased the NLRB granted the hearing and we look forward to that next step.”
Neither the ALU nor the NLRB immediately responded to Modern Shipper’s request for comment.
