Amazon workers vote against unionizing in Alabama

Post by colinmhayes » Sat, Apr 10, 2021, 3:46 AM UTC

lupire wrote: post #835

lmilcin wrote: post #834

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how much of this is strategy. Find a dying city with huge unemployment. No problem finding workers for a factory where most employees don't require anything more than ability to walk and read.

That's a complicated way of saying "open shop where labor is cheap". This why we need national and international coordination on minimum wage and minimum work environment laws.

Post by uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh » Sat, Apr 10, 2021, 4:10 AM UTC

Diederich wrote: post #249

aarongray wrote: post #127

Speaking as someone who lives adjacent to Bessemer but who does not work at Amazon, you need to understand that Bessemer is a dying city, a slum. These were the best paying jobs that many of these workers had had in their entire lives, it is no wonder that a majority of them decided not to bite the hand that was feeding them.

Wow, you're not kidding. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessemer,_Alabama#Economy "Crime increased following the rise in unemployment and social disruption from the decline of manufacturing industries in the area. As of 2019 Bessemer ranks first in terms of violent crimes for US cities with 25,000 or more people." Population has fallen from its peak in 1970 of 33k to 26k today. Thanks for the reference. EDIT: Also hom…

Post by chii » Sat, Apr 10, 2021, 4:14 AM UTC

TurkishPoptart wrote: post #753

MattGaiser wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One person earning $15 Amazon in Bessemer is solidly middle class for that town. https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/07/22/worst-cities...

Rightly so, but the issue is that the conditions pertaining to work in an Amazon warehouse do not lend themselves to being the kind of work one can do for decades+. People burn out, their legs grow week, and they get no insurance benefits for physical therapy, and that sort of thing. It's just not a sustainable job for most people, sadly.

Post by ashtonkem » Sat, Apr 10, 2021, 4:36 AM UTC

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #418

hrktb wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why can't it be both ?

Once the workers organize as a union, the company is forced to treat everything as a negotiation with the union instead of the employees. The union views their job as to always ask for more and push back on the employer, so the employer is incentivized to hold back raises, benefits, and concessions until it's time for negotiations. Giving away all of your bargaining chips before negotiations start is not a good strat…

Post by refurb » Sat, Apr 10, 2021, 4:42 AM UTC

markdown wrote: post #838

FearlessNebula wrote: post #590

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm stupid, but why does unemployment cause violent crime?

It doesn't in developed countries, because they have a strong social safety net. But in countries going through late stage capitalism, if you don't have a job, you have to rob your neighbour to eat.