Amazon Workers in North Carolina Reject Unionization, Continuing Trend Against Labor Representation

Employees at an Amazon fulfillment center in Garner, North Carolina, vote against joining Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment union

In a notable development, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Garner, North Carolina, voted decisively against unionizing, marking another defeat in the company’s ongoing battle with union efforts. Approximately 2,447 employees at the Amazon fulfillment center rejected unionization, while 829 voted in favor of joining the grassroots labor group, Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment (CAUSE), according to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The vote outcome was made public on Saturday, following a week-long election held from Monday to Saturday. The federal labor agency revealed that out of the 4,300 workers eligible to vote in the election, the majority chose to remain without union representation.

Rev. Ryan Brown, one of the co-founders of CAUSE and a former Amazon worker, expressed a sense of inevitability in the result. Brown explained that the group had prepared themselves for a loss, given several challenges, including regional factors and a lack of awareness about unions in the South. "We knew that historically the tide was against us for several reasons," Brown stated. "One, we're in the South. Two, the average worker in North Carolina is unfamiliar with what a union is and how it could benefit them."

This election result contrasts with recent successes for organized labor, including the unionization of workers at a Whole Foods Market in Pennsylvania, a subsidiary of Amazon. However, this victory has faced resistance, with the company requesting the NLRB to invalidate the results, citing concerns over the voting process.

The union movement at Amazon has seen mixed outcomes in recent years. In 2022, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, successfully voted to unionize with the Amazon Labor Union. The union has since joined forces with the Teamsters. Yet, Amazon continues to challenge the election results and has refused to negotiate a contract with the newly formed union. Additionally, the company has successfully fended off unionization attempts at other Amazon warehouses, including one in Bessemer, Alabama, and at another Staten Island facility.

An NLRB ruling in November 2023 ordered a third election for Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, following six violations committed by the company during a previous vote. This decision came after the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union raised objections to the initial election, which ended in a union loss.

The CAUSE group in North Carolina has been organizing Amazon workers since January 2022. Co-founder Ryan Brown initially began the push for unionization due to concerns about Amazon's handling of employee protections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brown believes that the company failed to adequately safeguard its workers’ health, which motivated him and others to seek labor representation.

Despite these efforts, Amazon has firmly maintained that it already provides benefits that many unions demand, including competitive pay and safe, inclusive workplaces. "We're glad that our team in Garner was able to have their voices heard and that they chose to maintain a direct relationship with Amazon," said Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards in a statement released Saturday.

This defeat further underscores Amazon’s ongoing struggle with unionization efforts, particularly in Southern states, where union support has historically been weak. While Amazon workers in other locations continue to push for union representation, this outcome demonstrates the company’s continued ability to discourage such movements at some of its key facilities.

As Amazon faces growing pressure from organized labor movements, this recent vote highlights the complex challenges of unionization in the modern workplace, especially in the face of strong corporate opposition and regional attitudes toward organized labor.