Earlier this week, I returned to my downloaded folder of podcasts.
In there, I found an episode I downloaded in 2021 from Al Jazeera English Podcasts network for The Take.
It’s titled, “How Amazon’s first union got it done”.
It’s all about organizing and unionizing to get us better days at our places of work!
Photo credit: Al Jazeera
Going after Amazon, the second-largest employer in the US, at the time,
The story of Christopher Smalls, Jordan Flowers, Gerald Bryson, and Derrick Palmer coming together to demand for what’s truly theirs is one to behold.
It speaks of being in a life-or-death situation, ending up victorious with all you’ve got against someone considered untouchable!
Photo credit: The New York Times
Their organizing formed what is now called the “Amazon Labour Union”.
The Amazon Labor Union was founded on April 20, 2021, by a labor-activist group founded by Chris Smalls called The Congress of Essential Workers (TCOEW).
Smalls, along with Derrick Palmer, had organized a walkout at the JFK8 facility to protest Amazon’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had led to the firing of Smalls.
Smalls’ termination was widely criticized by government officials, and prompted Smalls to form TCOEW and lead a number of strike actions.
Photo credit: CNN
If you happen to have a problem with capitalism like I do,
You know that capitalists like Bezos or Musk or any other billionaire out there WILL steal from you, gaslight you and forcefully shut you up into “accepting things as they are”, not as they could be!
Photo credit: ITF Seafarers
Doing the common outrageous things like forcing their employees to urinate in bottles, denying you personal protective equipment at work, paying the lowest wages they possibly can, paying-off lawyers to fight you….
Until you decide to push back against them and that maltreatment!
Photo credit: China Daily
Getting better work standards for you will involve you getting organized like the way those 4 youngsters did.
Silently organizing to unionise will do it best (it will give them bosses the shock Mr. Jeff Bezos got, when he was told of the entire plot Chris and Derrick had created)!
Every person offering their labour should be welcome, I am thinking!
Photo credit: World Bank Blogs
Most of all, don’t stop pushing for better from those guys!
To unionise is to get better for all.
Those guys will definitely fight back but never give up!
All that money that they have is your money actually!
Photo credit: Outlook Money
The sooner you organize yourselves for it, the better we all will be as a union!
Keep organizing to unionise.
Everything will get better from there!
I am rooting for you!
I’m not always the biggest fan of unions, but they can definitely get things done and help protect their workers. My sister was part of the teacher’s union when she was teaching high school and they helped her with a few things while she was there.
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A compelling read! Your article sheds light on the importance of organization and unity for meaningful change. Together, we can achieve great things. Thanks for emphasizing the power of solidarity!
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I’m a huge fan of unions. Without them, corporations can and will walk all over their employees.
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There’s a lot going on right now with US union auto workers. This is a timely and eye opening post about unions and their place.
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Interesting viewpoints on unions. Thanks for the information – it gave me something to think about.
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This is a really nice read. I honestly a fan of union. Thanks for sharing this with us
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Appreciate your passion for pushing something you believed in and I hope they will succeed in fulfiling their original purpose in the first place
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I’m all for union’s and strikes! I just wish retail workers were able to strike because we’re constantly being treated like shit!
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Unions are often a necessity to help protect individual workers. I am glad to hear that the Amazon Labour Union was set up.
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The conditions Amazon workers endured before unions was despicable. Bathroom breaks are a basic right.
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Would be nice if companies could treat their employees fairly before they feel the need to protect against them. I slightly feel that way at work sometimes, a lot of people here aren’t paid what they should/could be.
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I`m glad there are people who fight for our rights. I truly appreciate their mission and hard work.
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Unions are so vital to the working class. Historically speaking, corporations aren’t known for their altruism.
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I am 1000% behind unions no matter where they are in the world. If left unchecked, corporations will grind the working class under their boots.
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This is great information! I am a nurse and have experience with nursing unions, such a powerful resource!
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Being consistent in organizing and protesting is crucial. When you get large media attention – you win. We are fighting a similar fight right now. We have to be consistent!
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Unions can make a positive difference. One of the reasons (among many) for the growing gap between rich and poor is the decline of unions. It will be interesting to see if they can make a comeback.
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I understand that capitalism can be a contentious issue for many, and it’s important to hold those in power accountable for their actions. It’s disheartening to see billionaires prioritise their own profits over the well-being and fair treatment of their employees. But I find hope in the stories of those who have pushed back against these injustices and fought for better working conditions through unionisation. It’s critical to never give up the fight for justice and to keep in mind that these billionaires frequently acquire their wealth at the expense of the hardworking people who keep their businesses running.
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Thank you for sharing your perspective on unions. Your information is very eye opening.
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Workplace rights are so important. It is good that there are people standing up for the rights of workers.
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Great piece on the importance of organizing and unionizing in the workplace! It’s inspiring to read about the success of the Amazon Labor Union and the determination to fight for better working conditions. Keep up the excellent work and advocacy for workers’ rights!
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Thank you for sharing this great information with us! I will definitely share this with others
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This is not good to let employees urinate in bottles. Well, maybe working is not easy. This is a great post.
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Oh wow! What an interesting example of those going against Amazon. It really takes a lot of work to unionize, but it’s worth it!
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