According to a decision issued Wednesday, a U.S. labour board director upheld Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) workers’ landmark union victory at a New York warehouse, bringing the online retailer closer to having to bargain with staff on a contract.
Amazon has the option of appealing the decision to a larger panel of the United States National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) or beginning negotiations with the workers at its JFK8 facility on Staten Island, New York. A request for comment was not returned by the company.
The victory was a turning point for organised labour, which had criticised, among other things, productivity tracking at the nation’s second-largest private employer. It also marked the first time American Amazon employees had chosen to unionise in the company’s nearly three-decade history.
The announcement was made at the same time that Amazon announced plans to lay off more than 18,000 corporate employees due to the current economic climate, as well as plans to close three warehouses in the United Kingdom while opening new ones.
Post Your Comments