Amazon warehouse workers in Coventry narrowly reject historic union vote
Union bid fell just 28 votes short
The GMB union's bid for recognition at the Amazon warehouse in Coventry, UK, fell short in a closely contested vote held this month.
The final tally saw 49.5% of workers vote in favour of the union, while 50.5% voted against. Turnout was high, with roughly 2,600 of the estimated 3,000 eligible workers participating in the ballot.
The vote, which would have required Amazon to negotiate pay, benefits, and working conditions collectively with the workforce, marks a turning point in the ongoing struggle for worker rights at Amazon.
The GMB union, which spearheaded the campaign, accused Amazon of heavy-handed tactics to discourage unionisation. GMB officials said the vote fell "agonizingly short" by only 28 votes and indicated they may attempt to re-open the vote by persuading the Central Arbitration Committee that the eligible voting pool has changed.
"Amazon bosses have created a culture of fear for low-paid workers trying to improve their pay, terms and conditions," said Stuart Richards, an organiser at GMB.
The GMB has also launched a legal challenge against Amazon, accusing the company of using underhanded tactics to discourage union membership. This includes allegations that Amazon put up posters with QR codes that would generate emails requesting membership cancellation from the GMB.
Amazon, in turn, maintains they were simply providing information to employees who wished to leave the union but couldn't find a way to do so.
The ecommerce giant expressed its preference for direct communication with employees.
"We look forward to continuing on that path with our team in Coventry," the company said in a statement following the vote.
This vote comes after a year of escalating tensions between Amazon and its Coventry workforce.
In 2022, a small group of disgruntled workers staged a walkout in protest of what they felt were insulting pay raises offered by the company. The incident sparked further organising efforts, culminating in the formation of a GMB chapter and the UK's first ever Amazon strike in January 2023.
Over the past year, GMB has organised industrial action for a total of 38 days and steadily grown its membership at the Coventry facility to over 1,400, and despite the loss of this vote, remains committed to fighting for worker rights at Amazon.
With 75,000 employees in the UK alone, Amazon is one of the country's largest private sector employers.
Professor Gregor Gall, an industrial relations expert, highlights the immense resources required for such campaigns. He questions whether the GMB possesses the financial muscle to take on Amazon at multiple locations.
"The cost of union organising is very high. The GMB had officers working full time on it. We won't necessarily see organising drives elsewhere," Professor Gall said.
He further cites the ongoing situation at Amazon's Staten Island warehouse in New York as a cautionary tale.
Despite achieving union recognition in 2022, Amazon has yet to engage in negotiations with the newly formed union and continues to fight the election results in court.