Amazon workers in Alabama to vote on union again in February

Amazon workers at a warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., will once again vote on whether to form a union after the e-commerce giant’s initial victory was thrown out.

The election will be held by mail starting next month, with ballots being sent out Feb. 4 and counted on March 28.

“All eligible voters should understand the National Labor Relations Act, as amended, gives them the right to cast their ballots as they see fit and protects them in the exercise of this right, free from interference by any of the parties,” the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) wrote in a notice posted Tuesday.

Workers at the Bessemer warehouse initially voted 1,798-738 against unionizing last year. An additional 505 ballots were not counted.

The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which would represent the workers in the case of a union win, immediately filed objections to that result.

NLRB officials determined after a lengthy hearing that Amazon had interfered with the rights of employees to freely cast their ballots.

The company was dinged for pushing USPS to install a mailbox in the facility’s parking lot after initially pushing for an in-person vote.

Amazon was also faulted for effectively polling employees by distributing vote-no stickers. The initial vote to form what would be the first union at an American Amazon facility drew national attention.

Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait on Tuesday stressed that employees “have always had the choice” over unionization. 

“We look forward to our team in BHM1 having their voices heard again,” she added.

Updated at 1:35 p.m.