COMP NEWS – After eeking out a win against would-be unionizers in Alabama earlier this year, Amazon is now facing a second vote as the prospective unionization of employees continues at the mega-corporation. The stakes this time around may be higher, as an already in-demand labor market meets a weakened supply chain during the upcoming holiday season.

Amazon, according to reporting done by Reuters, is leaving nothing to chance:

“Amazon has ramped up its campaign at the warehouse, forcing thousands of employees to attend meetings, posting signs critical of labor groups in bathrooms, and flying in staff from the West Coast”. 

A potential union vote, along with the potential threat of strikes, brings risks to Amazon’s production and bottom line. The company is hesitant to let its workers strike at a time when available labor is already limited. Furthermore, as their supply chain prepares for the upcoming holiday season, Amazon will already push it to its limits. The union groups, however, see this as a competitive advantage:

“…unions could alter how Amazon manages its vast, finely tuned operation and drive up costs at a time when a labor shortage is taking a toll on its profit.” 

Amazon is playing this off as a threat to the well-being of employees, arguing that:

“…unions are a business taking workers’ money and told staff to consider what it can guarantee and what unions cannot”. 

Labor strikes have been happening across the country at other large corporations such as Kellogg and John Deere. Most of the strikers demand higher wages and other concessions from corporate management. A victory at Amazon would be a big boon for union organizations such as Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU) or International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT).

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