Biden Throws in Support for Bessemer Strike
Union organizers talk to workers at 4:30 a.m. outside the gates of the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala. Source.
Through a video posted to Twitter in the late hours on February 28th, President Biden announced his support for the workers striking against Amazon in Bessemer, Alabama.
“Every worker should have a free and fair choice to join a union,” the video caption read.
In his address, Biden never explicitly mentioned Amazon, which is one of the largest retailers in the world, but his pro-union stance was explicit.
The vote for Amazon workers to unionize began on February 8th and will go through March 29th. More than 5,800 workers are expected to participate, and if enough vote yes, the workers will be represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. The Washington Post called this vote “the biggest labor battle in its history on U.S. soil.”
In his speech, Biden also indirectly addressed reports that Amazon is discouraging workers from unionizing, by spreading misinformation about voting by mail, sending daily texts to workers reminding them not to support the vote, and leaving fliers in bathrooms. His speech indicated that employers cannot intimidate their employees.
Though it is unclear the exact implications of a successful union, the actions Amazon is taking to discourage workers from voting to unionize indicates genuine fear from the company, and the President’s choice to back the workers is only further hurting Amazon. If this vote, and more like it are successful, Amazon would be forced to negotiate with union leaders, slowing the growth of the company, increasing operation costs and even decreasing efficiency.
This vote is monumental because, no matter its success at this specific warehouse, it is causing more and more of the millions of Amazon workers nationwide to strike, or at least consider unionizing. Workers at Amazon headquarters in Seattle have said how Alabama’s vote to unionize would inspire workers to unite.
At the beginning of 2020 and at the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic, lots of information surfaced about the horrible conditions of the warehouse workers and the conditions they are being subject to. This includes long hours and inadequate pay, minimal time for bathroom breaks, and inadequate notice for mandatory overtime shifts.
In addition to the poor labor conditions, workers faced an increased risk of contracting coronavirus. By October, the company reported more than 20,000 employees had tested positive for COVID-19 nationwide, including 218 at the Bessemer Warehouse. While the company has taken measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their facilities, workers report that the compensation is not comparable to the risk and the poor conditions.
Biden’s support for workers is both unprecedented and necessary. His statement is fulfilling his campaign promise to be pro-union and support laborers. He is certainly the first modern Democratic president to be this vocal in favor of labor unions.