Warehouse workers reject Union in a not-so-close result of 1,798 to 738. What comes next, and should you be concerned?
Now that the dust has settled, let’s debrief on the whole “to form a more perfect union jk no union” thing.
ICYMI, the ballots were tallied in Alabama, and Amazon warehouse workers said “nah” to joining the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union in a landslide vote – 70% to 30%. Amazon leadership feels this result supports their claim that they do in fact listen to employees and work to meet their needs. My guess is that everyone got an Amazon Basics Piss Jar.
Bummed? Thrilled? Indifferent? It doesn’t matter. There’s no point in pointing fingers either. What matters is this is only one battle in a larger war that you are stuck dealing with as an Amazon seller.
Here’s our take on what’s coming down the road that sellers may want to keep an eye on:
- Labor leaders have said they will shift their strategy from elections at individual job sites to more “informal” tactics. Think walkouts, protests, and (everyone’s favorite) public relations campaigns.
Potential impacts: shipping delays on FBA orders, negative perceptions hindering consumer purchases. - Big name politicians have skin in the game. This union push was one of the largest in a while so everyone had something to say – from President Biden (who publicly had supported the union prior to the vote) to senators across the aisle.
Potential impacts: Formal policy proposals and hearings, even further politically charged conversations around labor. - AMAZON ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE. On the day the initial results hit the news, Amazon’s stock rose 2.2%.
Potential impacts: Even though efforts to unionize Amazon’s labor force will inevitably continue and cause some hurdles for buyers and sellers alike, the company will likely remain favorable among its consumer base.
Basically we’re saying all this union drama means no immediate action on your part. So keep on keeping on and let the fat lady sing already.
