Albany Amazon Workers Campaigning for Union

Per a report by Lauren Kaori Gurley of The Washington Post, Amazon workers at a warehouse near Albany are campaigning to unionize following the successful unionization of a warehouse in Staten Island.

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According to Gurley's report, warehouse workers at this facility are moving to unionize in the pursuit of higher pay, safer conditions, longer breaks and a say in how the company tracks their productivity.

This represents the latest in a seemingly growing movement in the United States labor force aimed at unionizing the workplaces of massive companies. Per a recent report from WNBF's Bob Joseph, a Starbucks on Vestal Parkway announced that they wished to vote to be represented by a union. Alexandra Yeager, the leader of that unionization movement, had already successfully unionized another Starbucks location in Albany, a short distance away from where this Amazon warehouse seeking unionization now sits.

Kimberly Lane, a member of the Albany warehouse's union organizing committee seeking better wages, stated "To me, Amazon is a poster child for why unions were created. It's not a livable wage or in line with the cost of living. The big joke between my son and I is that I get a quarter or so raise every six months. He's like 'Mom, you won't get a dollar raise for two years.'"

In similar fashion to other massive companies, there are anti-union signs throughout the warehouse, put up by Amazon to discourage unionization efforts. According to Gurley's report, the Amazon Labor Union has filed complaints of unfair labor practice with the National Labor Review Board regarding Amazon interfering with the right for workers to unionize.

The warehouse workers at Amazon's Albany facility have a long fight ahead of them, but recent victories in other unionization efforts should give them plenty of hope for their goals.