Amazon workers in North Carolina say no to forming union
What's the story
Amazon employees at a warehouse in Garner, North Carolina, have voted against unionization.
The vote was held over the past week with some 4,300 workers eligible to vote.
The proposed union was called Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment (CAUSE).
However, the majority of workers opted against joining CAUSE, marking yet another victory for Amazon in its ongoing battles against labor organization efforts.
Vote outcome
Vote results and Amazon's response
Notably, the unionization vote witnessed a huge majority of workers—almost three-to-one—voting against the move.
Federal labor officials' official count showed that 829 votes were cast in favor of unionizing while 2,447 votes were cast against it.
Another 77 ballots were set aside due to challenges from either the union or Amazon.
The company has always opposed efforts to organize its workforce, including packers, delivery drivers, etc.
Company perspective
Stance on employee benefits and union involvement
Amazon, the second-largest private employer in the US after Walmart, insists its employees are better off without unions.
The firm claims it already offers better pay and benefits than most of its industry competitors.
Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards said they were pleased with the outcome of the vote in Garner.
She said they were glad their team had the opportunity to voice their opinions and chose to maintain a direct relationship with Amazon.
Legal challenges
Ongoing legal battles over unionization
Despite the recent North Carolina vote, Amazon continues to battle legal challenges over unionization.
The company is fighting its first unionized warehouse in New York, nearly three years after the first vote.
It is also appealing a November ruling by a federal labor judge that ordered a third union election at an Alabama warehouse.
The ongoing disputes underscore the complexities of labor organization within large corporations like Amazon.