Amazon.com Inc. AMZN dedicated over $3 million in 2023 to discourage unionization among its delivery network employees.
The Unveiling: The e-commerce behemoth, based in Seattle, has actively engaged “persuaders” to dissuade workers from unionizing. The company’s expenditure on such consultants surpassed $3.1 million in 2023, as disclosed in its filings with the Labor Department.
Amazon, now the largest warehouse employer in the U.S., faces unionization challenges from various labor factions.
Mary Kate Paradis, an Amazon spokesperson, informed HuffPost that the company prides itself on investing substantial sums in initiatives like tuition assistance, healthcare, competitive wages, and safety protocols.
She further noted, “We are aware of external groups working diligently and spending lavishly to disseminate misleading information about us to our workforce. Therefore, like many other firms, we aim to ensure our employees are well-informed about their rights and the potential effects of external representation decisions on their everyday experiences at Amazon.”
Amazon’s anti-union spending in 2023 has significantly reduced compared to prior years – its official Labor Department filings highlight expenditures of $14.2 million in 2022 and $4.3 million in 2021.
During 2023, two consultants profited the most from Amazon’s anti-unionization maneuvers – Penne Familusi’s Rayla Group from Michigan received $1.33 million, while Katherine G Lev’s Lev Labor from Massachusetts received $1.05 million.
The Significance: Amazon’s endeavors to thwart unionization have sparked significant debate.
In 2023, an NLRB judge found the company guilty of breaching federal labor laws at its JFK8 warehouse in New York. The ruling highlighted Amazon’s unlawful interrogation and intimidation of employees participating in union activities.
Despite these findings, Amazon persistently resists unionization attempts within its workforce.
Market Performance: Amazon shares finished 0.31% higher at $180.38 on Friday, as per Benzinga Pro.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially created with the assistance of Benzinga Neuro and has been reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Joe Piette on Flickr
