Amazon Labor Union

The Amazon Labor Union (ALU) is a worker-led labor organization representing employees seeking collective bargaining rights at Amazon facilities in the United States. It emerged from workplace activism during the COVID-19 pandemic and became notable for winning the first successful union election at an Amazon warehouse in the country. The organization was created on April 20, 2021, by activists connected to the Congress of Essential Workers, a group associated with former Amazon employee Chris Smalls. The union's origins lie in a March 2020 walkout at Amazon's JFK8 fulfillment center in Staten Island, New York. Smalls and colleague Derrick Palmer helped organize the protest over Amazon's handling of workplace health and safety during the pandemic. Smalls was subsequently dismissed by Amazon, an action that attracted criticism from public officials and labor advocates. After his dismissal, Smalls helped build a broader worker-organizing effort through the Congress of Essential Workers and later established the ALU. The organizers presented the union as a grassroots alternative to more conventional organizing campaigns, emphasizing direct worker participation, workplace solidarity, and independence from established labor organizations. The ALU achieved its most important victory at JFK8. Employees voted over a five-day period from March 25 through March 30, 2022, and the count announced on April 1 showed 2,654 votes for unionization and 2,131 against, among the ballots counted. The result made JFK8 the first Amazon facility in the United States where workers voted to be represented by a union. The National Labor Relations Board later certified the union after rejecting most of Amazon's objections. The certification covered hourly full-time and regular part-time fulfillment-center associates at JFK8. Amazon continued to challenge aspects of the election and the certification process, so the victory did not immediately produce a collective-bargaining agreement. The union's effort to organize Amazon's nearby LDJ5 facility was unsuccessful. In a May 2022 election, workers voted 618 to 380 against representation, with approximately 1,600 employees eligible to vote. The contrasting outcomes at JFK8 and LDJ5 illustrated both the potential and the difficulty of organizing Amazon's large, highly distributed warehouse workforce. The ALU has also sought to support organizing activity beyond Staten Island. According to accounts of the organization, workers at dozens of Amazon facilities contacted it for assistance, including workers outside the United States. Its approach has focused on building organizing committees among employees rather than relying solely on national union infrastructure. The group has nevertheless faced resource constraints and internal organizational challenges typical of a young labor organization. In June 2024, the ALU affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Chris Smalls announced the partnership in early June, and ALU members ratified it on June 17. The affiliation was intended to provide the union with additional financial, legal, and organizing resources while preserving substantial autonomy for the ALU. Later in 2024, Teamsters announced strikes involving workers at Amazon-related locations in New York, Georgia, California, and Illinois. Amazon disputed the Teamsters' claim that the striking workers were represented by a recognized union and maintained that the union did not speak for its employees. The ALU's significance extends beyond its own membership. Its JFK8 victory was widely viewed as an important development in contemporary American labor organizing and as a challenge to Amazon's longstanding resistance to union representation. The organization remains focused on organizing Amazon workers and securing a first collective-bargaining agreement, although its current bargaining status, membership size, and the ultimate legal outcome of related proceedings are not fully established…

The Amazon Labor Union developed out of worker activism at Amazon's JFK8 fulfillment center in Staten Island during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, employees including Chris Smalls and Derrick Palmer organized a walkout to protest Amazon's handling of health and safety concerns. Smalls was dismissed after the protest, and his termination became a focal point for criticism of Amazon's labor practices and for subsequent organizing efforts. Following the walkout, Smalls helped establish the Congress of Essential Workers, an activist group that supported worker actions and connected Amazon employees. The group assessed the difficulties faced by established unions in earlier Amazon campaigns, including the 2020 organizing effort at an Alabama facility. Smalls and other organizers concluded that a grassroots campaign built around direct participation by Amazon workers could be more effective. The Amazon Labor Union was formally created on April 20, 2021. The organization concentrated first on Staten Island facilities. Its campaign at JFK8 culminated in an election held from March 25 through March 30, 2022. The vote count announced on April 1 produced 2,654 votes for the union and 2,131 against. The result established the ALU as the first successful independent union representing Amazon workers at a U.S. warehouse. The vote attracted national attention from labor advocates and political leaders, including President Joe Biden, who expressed support for workers' right to make a free and fair choice about unionization. Amazon challenged the election, alleging that union supporters had intimidated employees, recorded voters, and distributed marijuana in exchange for support. On January 11, 2023, the NLRB regional director rejected numerous objections and certified the ALU as the exclusive representative for covered hourly full-time and regular part-time fulfillment-center associates at JFK8. Further review and appeals were expected, and certification did not by itself guarantee that a collective-bargaining agreement would be reached. The ALU attempted to extend its Staten Island campaign to Amazon's LDJ5 warehouse. The NLRB approved an election in March 2022, but workers voted against representation on May 2. The final reported result was 618 votes against and 380 in favor, among approximately 1,600 eligible employees. The defeat demonstrated the organizational and political obstacles involved in expanding the union beyond its initial workplace. The union reported interest from workers at many other Amazon facilities, including facilities or worker groups in Canada, India, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. However, the supplied sources do not establish that these contacts resulted in recognized bargaining units. The organization also received outside financial support; one reported contribution was a $250,000 donation from the Omidyar Network as of March 2023. In 2024, the ALU entered a formal affiliation with the Teamsters. Chris Smalls announced the partnership in early June, and members ratified it on June 17. The arrangement was presented as a way to obtain greater financial and organizing capacity while maintaining much of the ALU's independence. Later that year, Teamsters announced strikes involving Amazon-related locations in New York, Georgia, California, and Illinois. Amazon rejected the claim that Teamsters represented the affected employees. The affiliation and strike activity marked a shift from the ALU's wholly independent origin toward cooperation with a large established labor organization, while leaving the union's longer-term bargaining and organizing results unresolved.

1. 2024Affiliation with the Teamsters

   ALU members ratified an affiliation with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on June 17.

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2. 2023JFK8 certification

   An NLRB regional director certified the ALU as the representative for covered JFK8 employees after rejecting numerous Amazon objections.

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3. 2022JFK8 union election victory

   JFK8 employees voted 2,654 to 2,131 for ALU representation, producing the first successful U.S. union election at an Amazon warehouse.

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4. 2022LDJ5 election defeat

   Workers at Amazon's LDJ5 facility voted 618 to 380 against representation by the ALU.

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5. 2021Amazon Labor Union founded

   The Amazon Labor Union was created on April 20 by activists connected to the Congress of Essential Workers.

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6. 2020JFK8 pandemic walkout

   Chris Smalls, Derrick Palmer, and other JFK8 workers organized a walkout over Amazon's handling of COVID-19 workplace concerns.

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A grassroots, worker-led labor organization focused on unionizing Amazon employees and securing collective bargaining rights, with an emphasis on workplace solidarity and organizational independence.

• 2022LDJ5 organizing campaign

  United States

  The ALU sought to organize Amazon's LDJ5 facility in Staten Island after the NLRB approved an employee election.

  Outcome. Workers rejected union representation by a vote of 618 to 380 on May 2, 2022.

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• 2021JFK8 unionization campaign

  United States

  The ALU conducted a grassroots campaign among workers at Amazon's JFK8 fulfillment center in Staten Island, emphasizing employee-led organizing and collective bargaining.

  Outcome. Workers voted for representation in April 2022, and the NLRB later certified the union.

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• 2020JFK8 COVID-19 workplace walkout

  United States

  Amazon workers at JFK8 organized a walkout to protest the company's pandemic response and workplace health and safety conditions. The action helped generate the organizing network that later became the ALU.

  Outcome. The walkout did not itself create a bargaining unit, but it became the foundation of the later ALU campaign.

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• 2024Affiliate with the TeamstersM&A

  The young union sought greater financial, legal, and organizing capacity while retaining an independent worker-led identity.

  What changed. ALU members ratified an affiliation partnership with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on June 17.

  Aftermath. Teamsters provided a larger institutional platform and later announced strikes involving Amazon-related locations, while Amazon disputed the union's representational claims.

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• 2021Adopt a grassroots organizing modelStrategy

  Organizers viewed previous Amazon union campaigns as insufficiently effective and sought a model centered on direct participation by Amazon workers.

  What changed. The Congress of Essential Workers network formed the Amazon Labor Union as an independent, worker-led organization.

  Aftermath. The model produced the JFK8 election victory but did not win the subsequent LDJ5 election.

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• 2024Amazon Labor Union members approve Teamsters affiliation

  ALU members voted to ratify an affiliation with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, bringing additional resources while retaining an intended degree of organizational independence.

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• 2024Teamsters announce strikes involving Amazon workers

  Teamsters announced strikes at Amazon-related locations in several U.S. states during the holiday period. Amazon disputed the union's claim to represent the affected workers.

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• 2023NLRB regional director certifies the JFK8 union

  The National Labor Relations Board's regional director rejected numerous Amazon objections and certified the ALU as the exclusive representative of covered hourly full-time and regular part-time associates at JFK8.

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• 2022Amazon workers at JFK8 vote to unionize

  Workers at Amazon's JFK8 fulfillment center in Staten Island voted in favor of representation by the Amazon Labor Union, making the facility the first Amazon warehouse in the United States to win a union election.

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• 2022Amazon challenges the JFK8 election

  Amazon filed objections seeking a new election and alleged misconduct during the organizing campaign, including voter intimidation, recording at the polling place, and distribution of marijuana in support of the union. These were allegations in Amazon's filing, not established findings.

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1. Amazon Labor Union
2. Amazon Labor Union official website