Amazon Workers in Upstate NY Vote Against Unionization

Workers at an Amazon warehouse in upstate New York voted against a bid to unionize on Tuesday as part of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU). 

Key Quotes: Christian Smalls, a former Amazon employee and founder of the ALU, said on Twitter that "Regardless of todays results taking on a Trillion dollar company can never be a loss for workers. We will continue to empower all workers to give them the right to unionize." An Amazon spokesperson praised the result of the vote, saying it's "the best arrangement for both our employees and customers." 

For Context: According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), there were 406 votes (66%) against joining the ALU and 206 voters (34%) in favor of unionizing, out of a total of 949 eligible voters. Some employees at big companies, such as Amazon, Chipotle, and Starbucks, have recently pushed for unionization. In April, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island joined the ALU and became the first unionized Amazon workers recognized by the NLRB. Recent poll data suggests that while public support for unions has grown in recent years, union enrollment has fallen.

How the Media Covered It: Some sources across the spectrum said workers "rejected" unionization in their headlines; others, usually left-rated sources like NPR, said they "voted against" unionization. Some right-rated sources, including Fox Business, highlighted the news as a top story Tuesday afternoon.