Union Supporters Take the Lead in Day One of Staten Island Amazon Vote, Alabama Amazon Vote Hinges on 416 Challenged Ballots

Following Amazon ballot counts that took place simultaneously in two states yesterday, union supporters in Staten Island are going into their second day of counting ahead by hundreds of votes, while a rerun vote in Bessemer, Alabama now hinges on 416 challenged ballots.

In Staten Island, the vote tally at the end of Thursday's count was strongly in favor of the Amazon Labor Union, with 1518 in favor of joining and 1154 opposed. The NLRB has not released the exact number of ballots still left to be counted, but the vote will resume at 10am this morning and final results are expected within hours. Those interested in watching this morning's potentially historic count online can register to do so here.

In Bessemer, workers will have to wait longer to find out the final outcome of their vote, with that election still too close to call. The tally at the end of yesterday's count was 875 in favor of joining the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), with 993 opposed. However, and crucially, 416 ballots were challenged by the parties, a number that the NLRB calls "determinative," meaning that they could impact the outcome of the election if the Regional Director decides that they should be opened and counted. A hearing will be scheduled within the next few weeks to make those determinations. The rerun vote was called after the NLRB found that Amazon interfered with employees’ rights to a free and fair election last year.

"Every vote must be counted," said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum. "Workers will have to wait just a little bit longer to ensure their voices are heard, and our union will be with them at every step to ensure their voices are heard under the law. What we do know is that this moment is historic, and the workers in Bessemer, Alabama, have inspired working people all over the country and all over the world to fight for change at their workplaces, including other organizing at Amazon around the country." Read more about both elections in the Wall Street Journal, LaborNotes, and The Chief.