Van Hollen, Brown, Booker, Colleagues Urge Amazon to Recognize Workers Seeking Union Representation Ahead of Key NLRB Vote

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) and a group of their colleagues in urging Amazon to do right by its workers and support their efforts to freely exercise their right to organize a union. In a letter sent to current Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and his successor, Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy, the senators expressed support for Amazon workers seeking to organize a union with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), and pushed the company to take this opportunity to recognize the true value of its workers to the company’s success and treat them as the critical assetsthey are. The letter comes ahead of an upcoming election in Bessemer, Alabama, where Amazon warehouse workers will vote to form a union that will represent full and part-time workers. Rep. Andy Levin (MI-09) is leading a similar letter in the House. The vote represents an important step toward advancing worker protections for all.

“Amazon’s profits have soared by 70 percent over the last year because of the hard work of your employees.  They have put in long hours and risked their own health during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet increased demand, and they deserve to share in the success they have made possible. Amazon’s employees have the right to join together to bargain collectively for a voice in their workplace, and to vote to establish their rights to negotiate. They also deserve to receive the compensation, benefits, and respect that reflect their true value to the company and to their communities,” the senators wrote in the letter. 

The senators also pushed the company to stop disgraceful attempts to coerce Amazon employees out of exercising their voices and their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. And, they also highlighted how the expansion of collective bargaining means workers can earn higher wages, can have more paid time off and negotiate improved healthcare coverage, which not only benefits employees, but also helps strengthen local economies, families and communities. 

In addition to Van Hollen, Brown, and Booker, the letter was signed by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN).  

This week, the group of senators reintroduced the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, comprehensive labor legislation to protect workers’ right to stand together and bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces. Unions are critical to increasing wages and addressing growing income inequality—with studies showing that union members earn on average 19 percent more than those with similar education, occupation, and experience in a non-union workplace. 

A copy of the letter can be read here and below: 

Dear Mr. Bezos & Mr. Jassy: 

We write regarding the upcoming National Labor Relations Board election in Bessemer, Alabama, and to express our support for Amazon workers who seek to organize a union with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). We urge Amazon to take this opportunity to recognize the true value of your workers to your company’s success and treat your employees as the critical asset they are.

Amazon’s profits have soared by 70 percent over the last year, because of the hard work of your employees. They have put in long hours and risked their own health during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet increased demand, and they deserve to share in the success they have made possible. Amazon’s employees have the right to join together to bargain collectively for a voice in their workplace, and to vote to establish their rights to negotiate. They also deserve to receive the compensation, benefits, and respect that reflect their true value to the company and to their communities. 

In a recent Executive Order, President Biden wrote that, “It is also the policy of the United States to encourage union organizing and collective bargaining.” The expansion of collective bargaining can be a net benefit to workers and management. Workers who belong to unions earn higher wages, have more paid time off, and negotiate improved healthcare coverage, which not only benefit the employee, but also help to strengthen their families and communities. The workers in Alabama are also focused on advancing racial equity. Given the historic challenges our nation faces right now, these kinds of improvements are needed across the economy. 

Amazon should view this as an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to its stated values. Though Amazon has referred to their workers as “heroes fighting for their communities and helping people get critical items they need,” Amazon’s treatment of its workforce has not always reflected that. From using so-called “flex” workers to avoid paying full benefits to your employees, to failing to provide complete data on COVID-19 spread in the workplace, to spying on employees seeking to organize a union, Amazon has not always treated its workers with the dignity they deserve. During this campaign in Alabama, employees seeking to unionize have received misleading text messages, been overwhelmed by anti-union propaganda, and faced attempts to force in person voting during a pandemic that has resulted in the deaths of [nearly 500,000] Americans. All of these efforts represent disgraceful attempts to coerce Amazon employees out of exercising their voices and their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

The upcoming election in Bessemer, Alabama is an opportunity for a reset. We ask that Amazon follow the law and allow their employees to freely exercise their right to organize this union. We will be paying close attention to the way Amazon conducts itself during this vote and call on Amazon to ensure an election for its workers in Alabama that honors the dignity of work.

Sincerely,