Workers who are part of the Amazon Labor Union have voted overwhelmingly in favor of affiliating with the Teamsters, with 98.3% of ALU members supporting the move. This decision will provide the union workers with access to additional resources as they strive to secure a contract from Amazon.
The newly formed ALU-International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1 will represent approximately 5,500 Amazon warehouse employees in Staten Island, New York, with jurisdiction extending to warehouse workers across New York City's five boroughs.
Teamsters General President expressed confidence in the collaboration, stating that the Teamsters and ALU will work together diligently to ensure Amazon workers receive fair wages and safe working conditions through a union contract.
The affiliation agreement allows the ALU to join the Teamsters as an 'autonomous' local union, granting them the same rights and responsibilities as a standard chapter.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, established in 1903, boasts a membership of 1.3 million individuals in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
While the ratification of the affiliation is seen as a victory for the ALU, the grassroots labor group has encountered challenges, including previous election defeats at other Amazon facilities and internal disagreements regarding organizing strategies.
Some former organizers have formed the ALU Democratic Reform Caucus, a dissident group that sued the union last year to prompt new leadership elections. This election is scheduled to take place in July outside the warehouse that recently voted to unionize.
