Greater than 100 Amazon workers performed a piece stoppage for round three hours after a hearth broke out at a success heart on Staten Island, New York. Evening shift staff had been moved to a break room as firefighters tackled a dumpster fireplace on a transport dock subsequent to the JFK8 warehouse. Nobody was injured, based on the New York Metropolis Fireplace Division, which was known as to the scene at round 4PM ET on Monday.
Amazon Labor Union (ALU) president Chris Smalls stated round 500 workers declined to return to work. Amazon put the determine at 100 and stated one other 1,000 stored working. The employees who downed instruments occupied the human assets workplace and demanded paid time without work for the evening, as Motherboard reviews.
“All workers had been safely evacuated, and day shift workers had been despatched house with pay,” Amazon spokesperson Paul Flaningan advised Gothamist. “The FDNY licensed the constructing is secure and at that time we requested all evening shift workers to report back to their usually scheduled shift. Whereas the overwhelming majority of workers reported to their workstations, a small group refused to return to work and remained within the constructing with out permission.”
Employees on the warehouse voted to kind a union earlier this yr. Amazon has contested the outcomes of the election. Final month, a listening to officer really helpful that the Nationwide Labor Relations Board ought to reject Amazon’s claims that the vote was invalid and authorize the union. Pending additional appeals, Amazon has not began union contract negotiations.
In the meantime, staff at one other Amazon warehouse are looking for to unionize with the ALU. An election will probably be held at a success heart outdoors of Albany later this month. Amid unionization efforts throughout the corporate, Amazon this week introduced it should enhance hourly staff’ pay.
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