This website collects cookies to deliver better user experience. Cookie Policy
Accept
Sign In
The Wall Street Publication
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: Amazon Reaches Federal Settlement Allowing Workers More Leeway to Organize
Share
The Wall Street PublicationThe Wall Street Publication
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.
The Wall Street Publication > Blog > Business > Amazon Reaches Federal Settlement Allowing Workers More Leeway to Organize
Business

Amazon Reaches Federal Settlement Allowing Workers More Leeway to Organize

Editorial Board Published December 24, 2021
Share
Amazon Reaches Federal Settlement Allowing Workers More Leeway to Organize
SHARE

Amazon.com Inc. AMZN 0.02% has reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board to make it easier for its employees to organize at work, a step that comes as its workers in some areas continue to push for unionization.

Under the agreement, which was approved by both parties Wednesday, Amazon will notify past and current warehouse staff of their rights to organize in its buildings via email and other internal communications. The settlement also would allow the NLRB to more quickly hold Amazon accountable should it violate the terms of the agreement, according to the federal agency.

A spokeswoman for Amazon declined to comment on the settlement. The company has previously said that it recognizes the right of its workers to unionize but believes it isn’t necessary due to the pay and benefits it provides.

Tens of thousands of American workers are on strike and thousands more are attempting to unionize. WSJ examines the roots of this new labor activity and speaks with a labor economist for more context on U.S. labor’s changing landscape. Photo: Alyssa Keown/AP

“This settlement agreement provides a crucial commitment from Amazon to millions of its workers across the United States that it will not interfere with their right to act collectively to improve their workplace by forming a union or taking other collective action,” said Jennifer Abruzzo, general counsel for the NLRB. All companies must abide by the National Labor Relations Act, regardless of their size, she said.

The agreement is significant because of Amazon’s size and because the company agreed to do away with a rule that limited how employees could communicate with each other at its facilities outside of work hours, said Risa L. Lieberwitz, a professor of labor and employment law at Cornell University. That had made it difficult for workers to organize, she said.

“This can give an enormous boost to organizing at Amazon and at other large employers in the United States,” she said.

The NLRB settlement is one of a number of steps the Biden administration has taken to show its support for the U.S. labor movement. The president reiterated his pro-union views a few weeks ago at an event promoting his $1 trillion infrastructure plan, and he has previously voiced support for Amazon workers seeking to unionize.

Still, it is unclear the extent to which the agreement will bring momentum to organizing campaigns under way in some areas at the company, the nation’s second-largest private employer behind Walmart Inc. More than 70% of Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Ala., who voted in a union election earlier this year decided not to unionize, a margin that illustrates the challenge workers at Amazon will face nationally, labor experts have said.

That election is set to be held again after a federal labor official in November ruled that Amazon violated labor law during the first vote due to a mailbox it had installed outside of the Alabama facility. Amazon has denied any wrongdoing and said the decisive margin of victory was a vindication of its labor practices.

Amazon has about a million workers in the U.S., and unions such as the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are working on campaigns to organize Amazon workers in various parts of the country. The RWDSU is behind the Alabama initiative, and the Teamsters have passed a resolution designed to help Amazon workers achieve a union contract.

On Wednesday, the Amazon Labor Union, an independent group representing workers in the Staten Island borough of New York City, filed a second petition for a union election. The group, which is made up of current and former company warehouse workers in New York and isn’t yet affiliated with major national labor organizations, dropped its first petition for an election last month after failing to prove adequate worker support for a vote.

The group has said it seeks to achieve higher wages, create safer working conditions and increase paid time off, breaks and medical-leave options.

Amazon workers in other facilities have also called for improvements related to safety, paid time off and productivity requirements. The company has recorded higher injury rates than the national average, according to federal data.

Amazon, which has been on a hiring spree throughout the pandemic, has raised wages repeatedly this year and now pays an average starting wage of more than $18 an hour, an amount that is nearly triple the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

The company has said that the injury figures are due to its aggressive reporting and that it has introduced safety programs aimed at educating workers about body mechanics.

Write to Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com

Copyright ©2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

TAGGED:Business NewsPAIDWall Street Publication
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article U.S. Will Waive In-Person Interviews for H-1B, Other Work Visas U.S. Will Waive In-Person Interviews for H-1B, Other Work Visas
Next Article Donald Trump threatens to divulge ‘real facts’ about ‘wacko’ Bette Midler Donald Trump threatens to divulge ‘real facts’ about ‘wacko’ Bette Midler

Editor's Pick

JPMorgan unveils its 2025 summer season studying record

JPMorgan unveils its 2025 summer season studying record

JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon on the significance of management abilities, deregulation coverage, power independence and the Federal…

By Editorial Board 4 Min Read
Japan to Start Medical Trials for Synthetic Blood This 12 months
Japan to Start Medical Trials for Synthetic Blood This 12 months

credit score – Adrian Sulyok on Unsplash Japan is the primary nation…

4 Min Read
2025 Coca-Cola 600 outcomes: Ross Chastain goes from worst to first, wins with late go on William Byron
2025 Coca-Cola 600 outcomes: Ross Chastain goes from worst to first, wins with late go on William Byron

CONCORD, N.C. — After beginning NASCAR’s longest race from shotgun on the…

7 Min Read

Oponion

UBS Penalties Slashed by Around  Billion in French Tax Case

UBS Penalties Slashed by Around $3 Billion in French Tax Case

A French appeals court ordered UBS Group AG to pay…

December 13, 2021

8 Finest Summer season Sneakers for Males to Soak Up the Solar in 2025 | Fashion

We independently consider all advisable services…

May 3, 2025

Free mimosas begin this weekend at new Zentrl Kitchen in San Ramon

Ring a bell, get a free…

February 11, 2025

Biden vetoes invoice that might have given Trump extra judicial seats to fill

President Biden on Monday vetoed a…

December 24, 2024

Luxurious electrical automaker’s deserted California headquarters ‘left in full disarray,’ landlord says

Take a look at what's clicking…

October 9, 2024

You Might Also Like

Omnispace, Gatehouse Satcom and Nordic Semiconductor Exhibit 5G NB-IoT Functionality over Non-Geostationary S-band Satellite tv for pc
Business

Omnispace, Gatehouse Satcom and Nordic Semiconductor Exhibit 5G NB-IoT Functionality over Non-Geostationary S-band Satellite tv for pc

Omnispace, Gatehouse Satcom, and Nordic Semiconductor, at the moment introduced the profitable demonstration of a 5G narrowband Web of Issues…

3 Min Read
74% of asset monitoring initiatives meet or exceed ROI expectations
Business

74% of asset monitoring initiatives meet or exceed ROI expectations

Companies adopting IoT asset monitoring options prioritize wonderful vendor help and seamless integration capabilities over an intensive checklist of options,…

2 Min Read
Iridium and Syniverse Companion to Convey Direct-to-Gadget Satellite tv for pc Connectivity to Cellular Community Operators Worldwide
Business

Iridium and Syniverse Companion to Convey Direct-to-Gadget Satellite tv for pc Connectivity to Cellular Community Operators Worldwide

Iridium Communications Inc., a number one supplier of world voice and knowledge satellite tv for pc communications, right now introduced…

3 Min Read
3 Modern Methods Healthcare Companies Use Tech To Enhance The Affected person Expertise
Business

3 Modern Methods Healthcare Companies Use Tech To Enhance The Affected person Expertise

The healthcare trade is among the largest proponents of know-how use all through the office. It’s an trade stuffed with…

4 Min Read
The Wall Street Publication

About Us

The Wall Street Publication, a distinguished part of the Enspirers News Group, stands as a beacon of excellence in journalism. Committed to delivering unfiltered global news, we pride ourselves on our trusted coverage of Politics, Business, Technology, and more.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?