1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: I want to thank every Amazon employee and every Amazon 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: customer because you guys paid progress. You guys paid problems. 3 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: This is Megacorp, an investigative podcast exposing some of the 4 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: world's most unethical corporations. This series is about Amazon. I'm 5 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: Jake Hanrahan, journalists and documentary filmmaker. Megacorp is produced by 6 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: H eleven for cool Zone Media. As we heard in 7 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: the previous episode, Amazon workers are under a lot of pressure. 8 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: That overworked, they're constantly monitored, and they don't have job security. 9 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: To combat this, Amazon workers across the world have begun 10 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: to organize. Many of them want a union. If they 11 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: were unionized, it would give the workers more power to 12 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: negotiate better working conditions, job security, and increased wages. Now, 13 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,839 Speaker 1: if you're unfamiliar with what a union is, I don't 14 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 1: blame you. These days, workers unions are far less common 15 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 1: than they used to be, although they do seem to 16 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: be making a sort of comeback in recent years. Anyway, 17 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: let me explain briefly what they are. Ensure. Unions are 18 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: groups of workers that come together in a bid to 19 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: get a better deal at their place of work. They're 20 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: not against working, they're not being lazy. They just want 21 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: a fairer time at their jobs. Where unions are active, 22 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: the workers have somewhere outside of the company they're employed 23 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,919 Speaker 1: by to help sort out any issues and to build 24 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: a better work community. Members usually elect union representatives that 25 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: they can go to to solve problems, or alternatively, people 26 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: volunteered to be the rep Often, unions give the people 27 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: at the bottom of the workplace some leverage over those 28 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: at the top. If you listen to the previous episode, 29 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: you can probably imagine why Amazon workers have been pushing 30 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: to unionize in many different places. It will also probably 31 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: be no surprise that Amazon is trying desperately to stop 32 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,519 Speaker 1: the unions. When a company actively tries to disrupt union organizing, 33 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: it's often referred to as union busting. This is something 34 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: Amazon knows all about. Eighteen and internal anti union Amazon 35 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: video was leaked onto the internet. The video is essentially 36 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: a training guide on how to stop workers unionizing. The 37 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 1: video was sent to managers at the company Whole Foods, 38 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: amidst the initial stages of worker organization around June. Whole 39 00:02:55,919 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: Foods was brought up by Amazon in seventeen for urteen 40 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: point seven billion dollars. The anti union video is forty 41 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: five minutes long, and it's split up into six different parts. 42 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 1: The whole thing is animated. It's quite surreal. It's pretty odd. 43 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: It takes place in a two D Amazon warehouse, where 44 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: the narrator says, the purpose of the video is quote 45 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: specifically designed to give you the tools that you need 46 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: for success when it comes to labor organizing end quote. 47 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: Now I don't mean to sound shreal or exaggerated here, 48 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: but there really is something a little bit or well 49 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: Ian in the way this video portrays itself. It's essentially 50 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: a guide that Amazon has created to help recognize when 51 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: workers unions are beginning to form in a workplace, but 52 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: not so they can help them, so they can stop them. 53 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: Yet the language used in the video acts as if 54 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: it's somehow an ally of the workers. When they say 55 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: they're helping give companies the tools they need for success 56 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: when it comes to label organizing, what they mean by 57 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: success is success in basically crushing unions. Now, let's have 58 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: a listen to some of the internal anti union Amazon video. Welcome. 59 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: We're excited to have you with this training specifically designed 60 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: to give you the tools that you need for success 61 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 1: when it comes to labor organizing. During this course will 62 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: cover several important topics such as our position on unions, 63 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: associate rights, signs of employee disengagement, and how do identify, 64 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: escalate and address associate concerns. We are not anti union, 65 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: but we are not neutral either. We will boldly defend 66 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: our direct relationship with associates as best for the associate, 67 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: the business, and our shareholders. Right. Notice what they just 68 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: said that they're not anti union, but they're not neutral either. 69 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: Obviously not as they wouldn't be making these training video. 70 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: So they're saying they're not t union and they're not 71 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: neutral in a video about training employees to try and 72 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:10,919 Speaker 1: suss out and stop unionizing in the workplace. Again, not 73 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: to sound all dramatic, but this is literally double speak. 74 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: It's the way politicians talk when they're defending the indefensible 75 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: in the media. This is bullshit. They're trying to soften 76 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: the blow of what is clearly an anti union training video, 77 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,799 Speaker 1: and frankly, to say otherwise is a bit of an insult, 78 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: but that's the way they framed it. Anyway, Let's listen on. 79 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: We do not believe unions are in the best interest 80 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 1: of our customers are shareholders are most importantly our associates. 81 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: Our business model is built upon speed, innovation and customer obsession. 82 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: Customer obsession things that are generally not associated with the unions. 83 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: When we lose sight of those critical focus areas, we 84 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 1: jeopardize everyone's job security. Okay, so they've just said that 85 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: that everyone's job security at Amazon is in jeopardy when 86 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: speed in a ation and customer obsession are lost site 87 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: of Now, the way this too d Amazon presentation reels 88 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: that off, it's quite easy to miss the point. That 89 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 1: sentence seems fairly innocuous the way they read it. However, 90 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: in my opinion here, the subtext of that sentence is this, 91 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 1: if a union gains power within the workplace and they 92 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: prioritize anything other than speed, innovation and customer obsession, people 93 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: might get fired. They don't want unions focusing on anything 94 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: else like workers safety, improved conditions, and better wages. That 95 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:45,359 Speaker 1: would take time away from efficiency. And if that happens, 96 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,919 Speaker 1: people are going to get fired. Now, I could be 97 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: very wrong. Like I said, that's just my opinion of 98 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 1: the subtext there, but I'm not sure how else to 99 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: take it. Remember, as well, this was an internal video 100 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: at Amazon not meant to see the light of day 101 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 1: in the public. I think that gives you more context 102 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: to what's being said here. Also, anyway, let's hear more. 103 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: We don't bad mouth unions in general, but we will 104 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: speak openly with associates about unions, including any specific concerns 105 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: about particular unions involved in organizing, and we share our 106 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: preference for a direct working relationship frequently and boldly, even 107 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: when no organizing activity has occurred. You will learn about 108 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: the warning signs most commonly associated with early union organizing, 109 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: as well as other warning signs that could indicate associate disengagement, 110 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: vulnerability to organizing, or early organizing activity. While employees have 111 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: the right to organize, we have a right and responsibility 112 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: to share our position that a direct working relationship is 113 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: better for the customer, the company, and the associate. In 114 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: order to be able to do that effectively, it is 115 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: critical that we recognize the early warning signs of potential 116 00:07:55,360 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: organizing and escalate concerns promptly, warning signs earlier new organizing, 117 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: vulnerability to organize. In the way Amazon is talking about this, 118 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: it sounds like they think unions are some kind of disease. 119 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: I don't know. It's quite odd listening to it like this. Now. 120 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: I get Amazon is a private company. They have the 121 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 1: right to dislike and even hate unions if they want to. 122 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: But as you can see, this training video shows that 123 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,559 Speaker 1: their private face doesn't tally up with their public face. 124 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: Shock horror. Who's surprised? Now? Amazon presents this happy, people, 125 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: friendly corporation typeface, but this just isn't that. This next bit, though, 126 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 1: I think, is really quite dark. If you see warning 127 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: signs of potential organizing, notify you're building hr M and 128 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: GM site leader immediately. Hr M s and g M 129 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: site leaders should notify their assigned e R managers or 130 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: e ER principle immediately. The most obvious signs would include 131 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: use of words associated with unions, are union movements like 132 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: living wage or steward petitions, or other concerted activity, such 133 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: as an associate purporting to speak on behalf of his 134 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: or her coworkers when raising concerns. Union graffiti, union t shirts, hats, jackets, 135 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: or other clothing union flyers and union visitors in or 136 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: near the parking lot. Some signs are less obvious than 137 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: finding the actual union flyer, but they can still indicate 138 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: associate disengagement, which is itself a warning sign for potential organizing. 139 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 1: Examples include associates who normally aren't connected to each other 140 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: suddenly hanging out together, associates who are close suddenly stopped 141 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: speaking to each other, groups of associate scatter when approached 142 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: by management, increased associate negativity, anger or confrontation, unusual complaints 143 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: or change in passion or detail around complaints, unusual interest 144 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: and policies, benefits, employee lists or other company information, or 145 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: any other associate behavior that is out of character. For example, 146 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: an associate who normally leaves promptly begins hanging out in 147 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: the brake room for an or after work each day. 148 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: In order to recognize warning signs, it is critical that 149 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 1: you know what an associates normal behavior looks like. Often 150 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:09,320 Speaker 1: it is the change in behavior that is the warning 151 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: sign more than the actual behavior itself. Now, if that 152 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: doesn't sound authoritarian, I don't know what does. Their training 153 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: and encouraging workers to literally spy on each other. They 154 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: suggest monitoring their behavior, their clothes, and even what words 155 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: they use to try and work out if they're involved 156 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: in union organizing or not, and they say they're not 157 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: anti union. At the end there it goes as far 158 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: as to suggest that manages second guess the motivations of 159 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: the workers by watching to see if anything changes in 160 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: their behavior, even if they have not said anything regarding unionizing. 161 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 1: In order to recognize warning signs, it is critical that 162 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: you know what an associates normal behavior looks like. Often 163 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: it is the change in behavior that is the warning 164 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 1: sign more than the actual behavior itself. That and say 165 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: that workers must inform on each other if they spot 166 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 1: any of this behavior. It all sounds a little bit 167 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: too much like the Stasi to me. And remember, this 168 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 1: is just a company, This is not a government, this 169 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: is not a police force. Seems a little bit over 170 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,200 Speaker 1: the top. Something else are noticed, Only just at the 171 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:22,119 Speaker 1: end there is that in the video of this Amazon presentation. 172 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: You know, I said it was to the animated the 173 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: guy that is giving all this information to the viewer, 174 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: which would be the members of the team that Amazon 175 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: is trying to train too effectively union bust. The character 176 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: is actually a worker on the warehouse floor in the 177 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: Amazon warehouse. Maybe that was intentional, maybe not, I don't know. 178 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: It seems pretty fucked up to me. He's even wearing 179 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: a little high of his jacket. There are conveyor belts everywhere. 180 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 1: It's an Amazon worker telling the managers how to stop 181 00:11:54,400 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: him from organizing madness. To get a better understanding of 182 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: where the Amazon unions are at right now, and also 183 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: to hear about the Amazon union busting tactics, I spoke 184 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: to journalists Dave Jamieson. He is a labor reporter for 185 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: her Post. Back in the day, there was a labor 186 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: reporter on pretty much every newspaper, every outlet. Nowadays it's 187 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 1: more rare to see them, but it's a very important job, 188 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: especially within journalism. It helps shine a light on bad 189 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: practices as the ones we've just heard of in regards 190 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: to Amazon. Let's see what you have to say. Let's 191 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:37,559 Speaker 1: let's kind of um begin with the union, the unionizing 192 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: efforts that Amazon workers have been involved in. Okay, so um. 193 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: In the US, Amazon does not have unionized workers. Amazon 194 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: deals with with unions overseas in some places, um like 195 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: like in Europe. But in the US they've managed to 196 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: keep unions out as a lot of kind. But he's 197 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: managed to do these days are our unionization rate in 198 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: the US is just six percent in the private sector, 199 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 1: A lot of American workers these days could work their 200 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,679 Speaker 1: whole careers and and never be in a in a 201 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 1: in a union. We used to have much higher union density, 202 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: like after World War Two, it was up into the 203 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: thirty some odd percent um. It's much lower now and 204 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: that's in part because the employers have gotten you know, 205 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: more aggressive, I think over the years in terms of 206 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 1: trying to beat back union drives. And so it was 207 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: kind of no mystery that you know, Amazon wanted to 208 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 1: keep unions out like any any kind of big growing 209 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: employer in the US. So it came as a as 210 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 1: a bit of a surprise when when this union, the 211 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: retail wholesale and Department store union, filed for a union 212 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: election at a warehouse down in Alabama, in this town 213 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: called Bessemer, right outside of Birmingham. Because there had never 214 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: been a a union election at a a major Amazon 215 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: facility like this with the unit that we call wall 216 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 1: to wall, were like everybody inside there, pretty much outside 217 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: of management, would be in the union if the union one. 218 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: And so this was like a really big deal, uh, 219 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 1: not just for labor, but it had big advocations for Amazon. 220 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: They want to keep unions from getting any toe hold 221 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 1: inside their facilities. Right in the US, unions would have 222 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: to unionize these facilities one by one, So it would 223 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: still be a few thousand workers out of nearly a 224 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: million in the US that would be covered by a union. 225 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: But the fear for a company like Amazon is that 226 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: this is gonna spread, right that if if if a 227 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: union can break into one facility, that they're gonna start 228 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: popping up and winning elections at other facilities. So this 229 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: became like really closely watched in the US, and it 230 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 1: was kind of an unusual campaign because it was it 231 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 1: was during the pandemic, so um, it was going to 232 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: be a kind of long now and voting process where 233 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: where both the union and and the company we're going 234 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: to be making their cases to workers. And so even 235 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: though we knew that that Amazon did did not want unions, 236 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: that they were going to try to keep unions out, 237 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: this was kind of the first time really that Amazon 238 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 1: was forced to kind of get its hands dirty in public, uh, 239 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: while they tried to fight off a union drive. Right right, 240 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: maybe you can give us some idea of the union 241 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: busting efforts to Amazon has going to When you look 242 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: at what Amazon did, I view it as simply a 243 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: scaled up version of what your typical American employer will do. 244 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 1: Amazon basically has bottomless resources, so they could throw tons 245 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: of money at it. But what they did basically what 246 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: any um, um you know, depocketed company was going to do, 247 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 1: which is you fight kind of this this two pronged 248 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: war one with with your lawyers right where you you 249 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: bring in um, the best lawyers you can get, management 250 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: side attorneys who are going to do whatever they can 251 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: at the National Labor Relations Board to um slow this 252 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: process down, UH, to throw up hurdles in front of 253 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: the union. And that's that's what what Amazon did. They 254 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: hired Morgan Lewis. It's you know, the top or one 255 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: of the top management side firms when you're dealing with 256 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: the union. And the guy they had leading their litigation 257 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: is his name is Harry Johnson. He used to be 258 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: a Republican member of the National Labor Relations Board, which 259 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: is like our Supreme Court um for for dealing with 260 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: labor issues. So they really, you know, they got lawyers 261 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: from from the top of the game. And UM, you know, 262 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: as you're doing that, UM, you know, you also as 263 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: a company, you often want to run this sort of 264 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: ground game inside your workplace where you're trying to so 265 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: doubt about the union um uh, and and and sort 266 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: of do everything you can legal or sometimes not legal, 267 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: to encourage a no vote. And so what Amazon did 268 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: is they went out and hired union avoidance consultants who 269 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 1: came in and and companies have to disclose this stuff 270 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: to the government when they do it, and we know 271 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 1: a little bit about UM, what Amazon went out and did. 272 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:16,679 Speaker 1: It's gonna be a while before we know more, just 273 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: because of the disclosure process. But they hired a whole 274 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 1: bunch of consultants who came in to hold what we 275 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 1: call captive audience meetings. This is where UM workers are 276 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: are corralled into a room and a consultant or management 277 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 1: or both get up there and give a speech about, 278 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 1: you know, basically, why the union sucks, why you don't 279 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 1: want a union. UM. There's certain lines they can't go over. UM. 280 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 1: They can't interrogate you about your your union sympathies. They 281 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: can't threaten your job if you vote for a union, 282 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,959 Speaker 1: But they can get really close to that line, and 283 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: through careful language, they can kind of sow those doubts 284 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: UM while while still kind of staying on the right 285 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 1: side of the line. And so that's why you bring 286 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: consultants into do that. And so Amazon had these meetings 287 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 1: going on in the Best sumber warehouse every day for 288 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: weeks in the in the run up to the vote. 289 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: I talked to workers who were in there, um, you know, 290 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 1: multiple times. Uh, and it's it's it's a weird experience. 291 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I've talked to a lot of workers over 292 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 1: the years who've gone through this, not just at Amazon 293 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: but elsewhere, and it's it's very strange. You know, you 294 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:25,199 Speaker 1: have this this guy from the outside who comes in 295 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,120 Speaker 1: is kind of acting like he's your pal, like he's 296 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: just there to answer questions and kind of clarify the process. 297 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: They always kind of put off the air of being neutral, 298 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 1: of just wanting to provide you with information, But when 299 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: you look at what they actually say, it's it's always um, 300 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: you know, within with an anti union angle to it. Um. 301 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: And this can be really effective in a lot of ways. 302 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: It's sort of For one, it can help the the 303 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,640 Speaker 1: the employer know where certain workers stand. Right. So this 304 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: is a was a big facility of nearly six thousand 305 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: workers in the proposed bargaining unit. So if the union 306 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 1: one that would be nearly six thousand people in that union. UM, 307 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: that is really large. We in the US, we like 308 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: rarely see union elections on that scale anymore, you know, 309 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: in part because of UM uh you know, the industrialization 310 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: and and and a lot of bargaining units have just 311 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 1: gotten smaller. So this was like a really big facility. 312 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: So Amazon was holding tons of these meetings and they'd 313 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: have people off to the side, and you know, I 314 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: talked to workers who didn't know who who these people were. 315 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,479 Speaker 1: Maybe they were managers, they didn't recognize them, Maybe they 316 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: were in from other facilities. And Amazon did bring in 317 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 1: a lot of people from corporate during the campaign to 318 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: be around the warehouse that were managers from other facilities 319 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:43,680 Speaker 1: in UM and it was just kind of a strange environment. UM. 320 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,680 Speaker 1: Sometimes workers would push back. I talked to a few 321 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 1: who kind of got got sick of of you know, 322 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: what they felt was was ridiculous propaganda, and so they 323 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 1: would they would uh, you know, push back UM, you know, 324 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 1: challenge the presenter and and talk about the goods unions, 325 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: good unions could do UM. And I talked to one 326 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: guy who who did that, and then he when he 327 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 1: once he was back out on the floor. He had 328 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: some union avoidance consultant coming over to talk to him, 329 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:13,479 Speaker 1: and he just said it was weird. Man. He was like, 330 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:15,239 Speaker 1: he was like, I don't want to talk to you. 331 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: Uh So it creates a very strange environment, but it 332 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:22,919 Speaker 1: can be really effective, especially in a place like Amazon. 333 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 1: And this is really key to understanding any union campaign 334 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: and an Amazon facility is the turnover there, right, sky 335 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,919 Speaker 1: high turnover UM. New York Times had a number that 336 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,640 Speaker 1: they say they got internally that was over a yeah, 337 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: staff turnover, right, worker turnover, and that's consistent with UM, 338 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:45,400 Speaker 1: with other numbers that have been done by outside analyses 339 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: suggesting over a hundred percent. What that means is um, 340 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,479 Speaker 1: over the course of a year, the number of workers 341 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: who quit or get fired is greater than the average 342 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 1: number of positions in that facility. Right. It doesn't mean 343 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: that literally every worker leaves, but it means that they 344 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: that if they have five thousand positions in there, then 345 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 1: more than five thousand or more people passed through that 346 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: warehouse in a year. That is a very high turnover 347 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:14,400 Speaker 1: rate for the industry. And you know one reason, Frankly, 348 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: I think it's part of of Amazon's early d n 349 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: A was that, like, we didn't want this attachment to workers, 350 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: like these places they run on algorithm, right, so the 351 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 1: workers are like our plug and play right um. And 352 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: and Bezos felt like, you know, workers just if they're 353 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 1: just kind of there in a job for years, they 354 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,880 Speaker 1: get complacent. So this idea of like burning through workers 355 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: is kind of part of part of like like the 356 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: Amazon theory, um. But it also is like a huge 357 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 1: benefit when you're a company fighting an organizing drive, because 358 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: you constantly have people passing through the door, um, and 359 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,679 Speaker 1: they don't have time to kind of uh, you know, 360 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 1: develop sympathies with the union, and in this case, a 361 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: lot of them never even heard the union's case. Right. 362 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: You have the the union told me that they were 363 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:05,439 Speaker 1: under the assumption that they were losing sixty union cards 364 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,199 Speaker 1: every week to turn over. And what they mean is 365 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: that sixty workers who signaled they would support the union 366 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 1: election we're going to leave naturally every week, either either 367 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: quitting or getting fired, and so you gotta find new 368 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: new support to replace that. So you're constantly treading water 369 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 1: as people come in the door, trying to organize them 370 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: and make your case to them. As a union. You know, 371 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 1: an Amazon of course knows that. And so people during 372 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 1: this this um you know, mail and election, there were 373 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: there were uh people you know coming in ahead of 374 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:42,159 Speaker 1: the election, UM who never heard from a union organizer, 375 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 1: and in their first week on the job, they're going 376 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 1: into these anti union meetings basically hearing uh, you know, 377 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: how crumby the union is, and and and what a 378 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: bad idea would be to vote for the union. And 379 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 1: so Amazon had this large scale sophisted campaign going on, 380 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: in part down on the ground level in the air house, 381 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: with these consultants in their consultants who were coached by 382 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 1: managers and supervisors on on how to act around the 383 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 1: workers and how to um you know, essentially uh you know, 384 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: turn out no votes. While at the same time they 385 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: had they had lawyers at the highest level that we're 386 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: trying to um throw up barriers, um, you know, inflate 387 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,680 Speaker 1: the bargaining unit, make the union union, the proposed bargaining 388 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: unit as large as possible so that the union would 389 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: have to be organizing all these all these other workers, UM, 390 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: and just slow things down legally so that um inside 391 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,239 Speaker 1: the warehouse, the company has the time to get their 392 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: anti union campaign up and running. So yeah, this was 393 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 1: like a pretty uh sophisticated campaign, I think, and probably 394 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,120 Speaker 1: a very expensive one. It's gonna be a little while 395 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: before we know how much Amazon spent on the consultants. Well, 396 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: we'll learn that sometime next year. A lot of people 397 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: I have talked to think, um, you know, it's probably 398 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 1: almost certainly in the millions. Um, possibly possibly eight figures, 399 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 1: but we'll never know, you know, what they spent on 400 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 1: on the lawyers, because that's not subject to disclosure. So 401 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: this was like and you know, defeat the union at 402 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:15,159 Speaker 1: all costs. Yeah, it's it's very aggressive. Um. I was 403 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: reading the thing I think it was to Die actually 404 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: or yesterday, where a court had basically said in the 405 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: US that union workers were allowed to kind of push 406 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 1: that union voting ahead again because the court ruled the 407 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:31,680 Speaker 1: Amazon had basically unfairly kind of influenced the decision. Um, 408 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: did you see about that? That's right? Yeah, So this 409 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: this was news the pro clast night. Basically, the National 410 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 1: Labor Relations Board, a regional director there um ruled that 411 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:48,440 Speaker 1: that Amazon broke the law during the election, that they 412 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:52,399 Speaker 1: you know, basically tainted the democratic process, and that the 413 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 1: workers are entitled to do over vote. Um, I think 414 00:24:56,880 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 1: it's likely that second vote will happen because the the 415 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 1: Labor Board now has a democratic majority that's more favorable 416 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: to workers. So I think my sense is that this 417 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: this ruling will will be upheld and that another another 418 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:13,639 Speaker 1: vote will will come. But it's really an illustration of 419 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 1: why why companies like Amazon really pushed the limits, so 420 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: to unpack sort of what Amazon did here, um to 421 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 1: to kind of spoil the election. This was, like I said, 422 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 1: this happened during the pandemic. This vote, and so the 423 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: Labor Board wanted to do a mail in ballot right 424 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: where normally, in normal times you're gonna have this election 425 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: over two or three days at the big warehouse where 426 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 1: there's a little polling place and workers can go in 427 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,719 Speaker 1: when they have a minute and fill out their ballot 428 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 1: and drop it in the box. Here, it was all 429 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,959 Speaker 1: gonna be done by mail. Amazon didn't like that, and 430 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: I think the reason is because Amazon wanted this election 431 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:54,920 Speaker 1: to be conducted on their home turf. Right, there's a 432 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:58,200 Speaker 1: lot of advantages to doing this at the work site. 433 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 1: Right when the workers gonna have to go in and vote, 434 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,119 Speaker 1: they're gonna walk by all their managers, they're gonna be 435 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: around all the propaganda. And there was propaganda all over 436 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: the warehouse. Um you know, all this sort of like 437 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,880 Speaker 1: subtle anti union stuff and and um you know even 438 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: when when you went to the bathroom, uh you were 439 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,159 Speaker 1: you were seeing these these um posters and flyers about 440 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 1: you know, do you really want to be paying dudes? Um. So, 441 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: you know, Amazon wanted to have have that that that 442 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,680 Speaker 1: vote on the on the home field. Um, they didn't 443 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: get it. So what they did they basically, um, you know, 444 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:38,879 Speaker 1: arranged to have the the US Postal Service install a 445 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 1: mailbox on on the warehouse site, right in the parking lot. 446 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:47,360 Speaker 1: And they um surrounded this thing with their with their 447 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: you know Amazon propaganda. You know, come here, have your 448 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:56,000 Speaker 1: voice heard. Um. The labor board had had specifically said 449 00:26:56,080 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: they did not want, you know, ballot drop boxes on 450 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: site for the election. So Amazon went out on its own. 451 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 1: And there's there's we know that they um, you know, 452 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 1: converse with the US Postal Service to have this arranged. 453 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,400 Speaker 1: Um in mind you there's already you know, business arrangements 454 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:18,120 Speaker 1: between Amazon and the US Postal Service. Um. So so 455 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,959 Speaker 1: this was um upset the union quite a bit and 456 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 1: everything we've seen so far of the union's claims that 457 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: this post postal box tainted the process has been upheld 458 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:33,159 Speaker 1: so far, you know by labor officials. So there was 459 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:37,200 Speaker 1: a fear that by having this there um that that 460 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:40,399 Speaker 1: there was there was fears that the that the postal 461 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:44,360 Speaker 1: box was being surveiled. Right this is right outside Amazon's door. 462 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 1: And what the Labor board official yesterday had to say 463 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: about this was that was that she had specifically said 464 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: she did not want ballot drop boxes there and that 465 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 1: what Amazon did here was essentially hijacked the process. Amazon's 466 00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: defense has been, well, we just wanted to kind of 467 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 1: boost turnout, sure everyone everyone uh you know, had their 468 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:05,920 Speaker 1: voices heard, just make it easier to vote. And they said, well, 469 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 1: look that's not your job that that's our job is 470 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:10,680 Speaker 1: to administer the election. And so I was a little 471 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 1: surprised that Amazon went so far as to do this, 472 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: this this ballot box routine. Um I I but again 473 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: this goes back to wanting to win this this election 474 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 1: at all costs, and certainly on on the first go round, 475 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:25,639 Speaker 1: I think Amazon wanted to not only win, but but 476 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: to run up the numbers. And they did, you know, 477 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:30,840 Speaker 1: they essentially, you know, defeated the union. It was around 478 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:33,959 Speaker 1: a two to one margin, although some challenge ballots were 479 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 1: never open. But you know, Amazon, really they wanted to 480 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 1: crush this. They wanted to run up the numbers and 481 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 1: and make it look futile to try to do this. 482 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: And so what we're seeing now is that it's looking 483 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: like they broke the law to do it. They broke 484 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: the law to do it. So Amazon so eager to 485 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 1: union bust that they literally broke the law to try 486 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: and stop one forming. But remember, like they said in 487 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: the internal training video, they're not anti union union. Now 488 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 1: the courts have ruled that the union Dave Jamison mentioned 489 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: there are going to be given another chance at voting 490 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: to properly unize Amazon. It's safe to say this is 491 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: definitely not going anywhere, despite Amazon putting literally millions of 492 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 1: dollars into trying to stop this. So let's see what happens. 493 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 1: Will keep you updated here at Megacorp. Mega Corp. Is 494 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 1: made by my production company H eleven for Cool Zone Media. 495 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: It's written, researched, and produced by myself, Jake Hanrahan. It 496 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: was also produced by Sophie Lichtman. Music is by some 497 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 1: black graphics by Adam Doyle and sound engineering by splicing block. 498 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: If you want to get in touch, follow me on 499 00:29:55,040 --> 00:30:00,720 Speaker 1: social media at Jake Underscore Hanrahan. That's h A n 500 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: I A h A n m