Dear John,

Amazon warehouse workers on Staten Island made history last year when they voted to form the first-ever Amazon Labor Union in America. Did Amazon respond by engaging in good faith negotiations?

Hardly. Instead, they got hit with every union-busting tactic in the books.

The workers’ demands are straight-forward: Better pay, better benefits, and better working conditions. In response, Amazon spent over a million dollars to fight the union, firing organizers in other warehouses, blanketing workers with anti-union propaganda, and having organizers arrested (while legally organizing workers at a public bus stop no less).

Organizers worked for over a year, inside and outside the building, building trust and relationships, creating GoFundMe pages for people that were fired, providing food for former workers who were homeless and living in shelters. They built community, and that’s how they won. The union was certified on January 11, 2023.

But even after the union won the vote, Amazon refused to accept the results. Instead of coming to the bargaining table, they filed 25 bogus objections with the National Labor Relations Board, seeking to throw out ballots and decertify the election.

Now, failing to stop the union from organizing, Amazon is in a new phase of resistance: refusing to meet. It’s time for Amazon to come to the bargaining table. Send a message to Amazon’s Board of Directors: It’s time to work out a contract with the Amazon Labor Union.

Amazon is one of the biggest companies in the world, with net revenues last year exceeding $500 billion -- that’s billion with a B -- an increase from $470 billion in 2021.

Rather than meet the needs of its essential warehouse workers, who make barely more than minimum wage, Amazon regularly chooses to invest its profits in purchasing new companies to further expand its already vast market domination.

The costs of this neglect can be tragic. Amazon warehouse worker Poushawn Brown died after Amazon forced her to conduct Covid tests without providing any PPE. Amazon did not use its enormous wealth to protect the workers who keep it running.

During the campaign, organizers filed over 400 unfair labor practice complaints with the NLRB. Yet Amazon acted with impunity, knowing that by the time they received any legal consequences, the organizing campaign would be over.

Now the time for stalling and obstruction is over. Tell Amazon: Stop union busting and start bargaining with the Amazon Labor Union! Please sign the petition now.

Thank you for doing your part to ensure American workers are fairly compensated for the value they bring to our lives and communities.

Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action