Amazon, the second largest employer in the United States, has made clear its desire to discourage its workforce from unionizing. At one of its warehouses, ALB1 in upstate New York, that message has become crystal clear: “Don’t sign a card.”
Photos of the new digital signage were sent to Engadget by a staff member at the facility. Their presence was confirmed by a second member of staff, David, who claims to have been at the logistics center since around it opened in 2020 -Union placards were put up today, alternating between about seven different slides, each actively discouraging workers from making a move sign a union card. “It’s on a constant loop as people clock in and out of their shifts,” he said, “[when] they take their breaks or they eat lunch. Every time we will be in front.”
Gallery: Signage ALB1 | 7 photos
Gallery: Signage ALB1 | 7 photos
Amazon has been known to put up signs designed to discourage unionization at other facilities. As Vice reported In March, workers at JFK8 in Staten Island, New York, were rewarded with a series of posters with thoughtful slogans such as “Is Union Life For Me?” and “Will they [Amazon Labor Union]The signage at ALB1 seems to be the most consistent turn the company has taken to express its disdain for an organized workforce. The company also has a track record of violating labor laws and frustrating organizational efforts: Burn or otherwise retribution against workers, impede Discourage workers from distributing brochures and disturbing with union election. The company was also planning one behind closed doors hate campaign against a prominent organizer.
We have reached out to both Amazon and the National Labor Relations Board for comment on the legality of this signage and will update our story when we receive a response.
ALB1 workers have been pushing for union formation since at least May. It’s not yet clear if the organizing effort is aimed at joining the Amazon Labor Union, the grassroots group that successfully voted to unionize one of the Staten Island facilities in April. However, based on the new signage, the management of this fulfillment center appears to view the group as its main threat. Almost all signs refer specifically to ALU, which the company describes as “untested and unproven”. Another even suggests that joining the ALU would mean giving up some level of privacy, although it’s not clear in what way. We also reached out to ALU for comment and will update this story when we hear from the group.
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