‘JENNIFER Bates, BAmazon workers leader’s reinstatement by Amazon, is a win for workers,’ says the UNI Global Union.
Last week, Jennifer Bates, the lead worker spokeswoman of the Bessemer, Alabama Amazon union drive, received notice she had been reinstated after filing an Unfair Labour Practice charge against the company.
In early June, she had received notice she had been terminated after enduring a several months-long workers’ compensation nightmare.
Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union, said: ‘Jennifer Bates has been an inspiring figure in the fight for workers’ rights at Amazon.
‘Her reinstatement is a significant victory not only for her but for all workers who believe in the power of collective action.
‘Jennifer’s courage and determination has galvanised a global movement, highlighting the urgent need for better working conditions and the right to organise.
‘We stand with Jennifer and commend her for her unwavering dedication.’
Bates’ termination came as the mother of three – and grandmother to seven – struggled through a workers’ compensation nightmare due to crippling injuries received while working at Amazon.
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), who backed the Bessemer organising effort, reports that Bates was fired over a paperwork problem, which Amazon HR (human resources) has not allowed her to clear up.
She learned she was fired when the company revoked her access to its employee app.
Jennifer Bates issued the following immediate response to the news: ‘Amazon was wrong, they tried to fire me and stifle a movement, but the movement pushed back, and I’m incredibly humbled by the global outpouring of support for my unjust termination.
‘If there’s a lesson to be learned, it’s that today Amazon workers everywhere now know that when you’re under attack, you have to stand up and fight back because when we fight, clearly, we win!’
The BAmazon organising drive was the first campaign to organise an entire US Amazon warehouse in the company’s decades-long history.
The company had to re-run a union election because of egregious, unlawful union busting.
Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), said: ‘Amazon tried to stifle one of the most outspoken leaders of the contemporary labour movement.
‘Today, Amazon had to admit it was wrong – because the world stood up and said no.
‘Jennifer made it clear that despite the company’s extraordinary power and resources, she would not be silenced – nor will we.’
The excitement generated by the Bessemer workers campaign to join RWDSU prompted support and solidarity from athletes, movie stars, musicians, and even US President Joe Biden.
Unions across the United States, and across the world, also reported an uptick in worker interest in organising.
The Freedom from Fear Awards are presented each year to individuals and organisations that have demonstrated commitment to union organising and the promotion of workers’ rights and a world ‘free from fear’.
- Meanwhile, Amazon delivery drivers and dispatchers took to the picket lines on Thursday June 15th, staging their first-ever strike in the United States.
The workers are demanding an end to Amazon’s unfair labour practices and urging the e-commerce giant to engage in negotiations with the Teamsters, addressing concerns over low pay and dangerous working conditions.
Mathias Bolton, Head of Commerce Sector for UNI Global Union, said: ‘The Teamsters’ strike by Amazon delivery drivers in the US is a courageous stand against the unfair labour practices that have plagued the company for far too long.
‘These workers are the backbone of Amazon’s operation, and their demands for fair treatment and safe working conditions are absolutely justified.
‘We commend their bravery and solidarity in holding Amazon accountable for its actions,’ said Bolton.
‘It is high time for Amazon to engage in meaningful dialogue with the Teamsters Union and address the legitimate concerns raised by these essential workers,’ he concluded.
The strike was initiated by delivery drivers and dispatchers at Battle-Tested Strategies (BTS), a Delivery Service Partner (DSP) for Amazon, who formed a union in April in collaboration with Teamsters Local 396 based in Los Angeles.
The workers successfully negotiated and ratified a union contract with BTS, marking the first-ever agreement covering workers within Amazon’s extensive delivery network.
However, despite having significant control over BTS and the terms and conditions of employment, Amazon has refused to acknowledge and honour the union contract, engaging in numerous unfair labour practices that contravene federal labour law.
Randy Korgan, Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division, stressed: ‘Amazon has no respect for the rule of law, the health of its workers, or the livelihoods of their families.
‘Workers are on strike today because the only thing this corporate criminal cares about is profits.
‘We are sending a message to Amazon that violating workers’ rights will no longer be business as usual.’
Amazon drivers joined forces with the Teamsters due to concerns over their safety while working in extreme temperatures, which regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit during Palmdale summers.
Their union contract secures the rights of workers to operate safe equipment and refuse unsafe deliveries.
However, implementing these contract protections will necessitate a comprehensive overhaul of Amazon’s exploitative labour practices, given the company’s extensive control over its DSPs.
‘The back of an Amazon van feels like an oven in the summer,’ shared Cecilia Porter, an Amazon Teamster driver.
She said: ‘I’ve felt dizzy and dehydrated, but if I take a break, I’ll get a call asking why I’m behind on deliveries.
‘We are protecting ourselves and saying our safety comes first.’
As the strike unfolds, workers are steadfast in their commitment to fighting for fair treatment and improved working conditions.
With their collective action, they aim to hold Amazon accountable for the well-being of its workforce and send a powerful message that workers’ rights should never be undermined or disregarded.
