The Biden administration is said to be working in tandem with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), which is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers, to unionize the Amazon facility in Bessemer, Ala.
Around 6,000 employees are based in the BHM1 fulfillment center. Employees are currently allowed to vote by mail on whether to join the union. The results will be tallied and a decision determined in March, Reuters reported.
Throughout the warehouse, Amazon has posted signs reading ‘Unions Can’t. We Can!’ and ‘BHM1 - We win as one. Vote no!’
Biden and labor leaders with the RWDSU have been in talks about the effort to unionize the Alabama facility. The last attempt by the workers to unionize was in 2014. Amazon is the second-largest private employer, Walmart being the first.
While a White House spokesperson declined to comment directly on the matter, she said that Biden supports unions, as well as collective bargaining. She said he has also urged employers to not run anti-union efforts, nor should they interfere with union organization or bargaining rights.
The spokeswoman also said Biden wants employers held accountable and to increase penalties for those illegal efforts to thwart union efforts.
RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum told Reuters that the conversation that occurred between Biden and a top adviser was held after the inauguration.
"We wanted to inform the White House that this campaign was taking place and that they would be hearing about it... we did not make any specific request," Appelbaum said, Reuters reported.
Amazon spokeswoman Rachael Lighty told Reuters that Amazon doesn't "believe the RWDSU represents the majority of our employees' views."
Lighty said the company's employees choose to work there because "we offer some of the best jobs available everywhere we hire, and we encourage anyone to compare our total compensation package, health benefits, and workplace environment to any other company with similar jobs."
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