CNN
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Amazon workers at a warehouse near Raleigh, North Carolina, overwhelmingly rejected the chance to form a union in another setback for the labor movement’s efforts to organize against the online retailing giant.
The vote results announced on Saturday by the Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment (CAUSE) showed 2,447 votes opposing the union and 829 votes in support of the union at the warehouse in Garner, North Carolina.
The union received 25.3% of the vote. According to the National Labor Relations Board, at least 30% of workers need to sign cards or a petition saying they want a union in order for the NLRB to conduct an election. The NLRB has yet to certify the votes.
The NLRB did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
CAUSE alleged the retail giant interfered with the vote-counting process.
“The election results today are a result of Amazon’s willingness to break the law and use its enormous wealth to try and break our movement,” the grassroots union said in a statement.
CAUSE added that it “will continue to organize because over half of Amazon employees are still struggling with food and housing insecurity.” The union, which started in 2022, said Amazon employees work for a multi-billion dollar corporation and deserve a living wage.
“We’re glad that our team in Garner was able to have their voices heard, and that they chose to keep a direct relationship with Amazon,” said Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to make this a great place to work together, and to supporting our teammates as they build their futures with us.”
In 2022, workers at a Staten Island, New York, warehouse voted to join the Amazon Labor Union, the company’s first union.
Amazon has defeated union organizing votes twice at a facility in Bessemer, Alabama, as well as at a second Staten Island facility next to the one that voted for the union, as well as one just outside of Albany, New York.
This is a developing story and will be updated
CNN’s Chris Isidore and Robert Ilich contributed to this report.
