Amazon BoyCott This Week

This week marks the start of amazon workers at the Amazon facility in Alabama voting on weather or not to unionize. Amazon is doing everything in its power to prevent them from unionizing while just staying within a fuzzy zone of legality.

So what are unions anyway? Unions are organizations who speak on the behalf of the workers. In the same sense you have elected officials who speak for you in politics. Unions have won us all a number of benefits.

Personal Story:

I remember when I worked at an organization, which was later absorbed into Amazon, that was not unionized. I saw signs up that said unions are not needed here because we have an "open door policy". 

I was also on committees (or in "the room where it happens") where I heard leadership talk about employee complaints (as the result of a company wide anonymous employee survey) as only coming from "bad apples" and having those complaints dismissed and disparaged. One of the complaints was what I had written but based on their responses I did not stand up and share it was mine. Knowing that leadership dismissed all complaints meant I was not going to bring my concerns up to them.

I also saw the unevenly distributed hiring and firing that occurred, some individuals were never told they were close to being fired until they were fired, while others who had more points stayed for years and years. Also some individuals had regular work hours and others had all sort of crazy work until 10:30 pm and be back at 6am, or work 10 days in a row, schedules. Over all the organization was a mess and a toxic workplace for various reasons, and really did a number on my mental health.  

From this experience I have a personal understanding of how helpful unions can be. In my case if we had a union then there would be rules in place that meant that hiring, firing, hours worked ... were handled evenly across the board. All workers should be able to choose to be part of a union. 

So what can you do right now in support of Amazon workers? 

Send an email to Jeff Bezos to protect the rights of those who want to unionize through Amnesty International 

Support the virtual boycott this week by not using any Amazon products or services.

Share information on your social media channels why you support Amazon Workers Unionizing