In a significant development for the labor movement, workers at an Amazon warehouse near Raleigh, North Carolina, have decisively voted against forming a union. This outcome marks another setback for unionization efforts targeting the online retailing giant. The vote results, announced on Saturday by the Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment (CAUSE), revealed 2,447 opposing votes compared to 829 supporting the union at the Garner, North Carolina, facility.
The union garnered only 25.3% of the votes. According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), at least 30% of workers must express interest in unionization for an election to occur. An NLRB spokesperson refrained from commenting on the vote, which saw 3,276 valid ballots cast out of more than 4,700 eligible voters. Notably, 77 ballots were challenged and not opened, while 10 were deemed void.
CAUSE alleged that Amazon interfered with the vote-counting process. The grassroots union accused Amazon of leveraging its vast resources to undermine the labor movement. Despite the setback, CAUSE remains committed to organizing, citing ongoing struggles with food and housing insecurity among Amazon employees, who work for a multi-billion dollar corporation yet deserve a living wage.
Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing the company's commitment to maintaining a direct relationship with its employees. "We look forward to continuing to make this a great place to work together and to supporting our teammates as they build their futures with us," Hards stated.
Previously, in 2022, workers at a Staten Island warehouse in New York voted to join the Amazon Labor Union, marking the company's first union. However, Amazon successfully thwarted union organizing votes at several locations, including Bessemer, Alabama, and another Staten Island facility.
Despite Amazon's emphasis on offering competitive pay and benefits, the Garner facility workers sought a $30 hourly wage, significantly higher than the current starting wage of $18.50. Organizing leader Italo Medelius-Marsano highlighted the cost-of-living challenges in the Raleigh area, arguing that $30 an hour is reasonable given Amazon's financial success, including a market cap of approximately $2.4 trillion and $59 billion in net income in 2024.
North Carolina's historically low union membership—only 2.4%—presents additional challenges for labor organizing. The state, characterized by a cultural resistance to unions, has a powerful Chamber of Commerce and industry groups that oppose new worker protections. However, increased organizing efforts have emerged post-Covid pandemic, as essential workers advocate for better conditions.
Rev. Ryan Brown, CAUSE's president and co-founder, expressed disappointment but remained resolute despite the unfavorable vote. "I already knew that history wasn’t on our side," Brown noted, acknowledging the challenging odds against unionization efforts.
