In reversal, New York Amazon warehouse workers refuse to form a union

Workers at an Amazon warehouse in upstate New York voted against forming a union, a blow to organized labor .

About 66% of workers who voted at an Amazon warehouse near Albany , New York , opposed the formation of an Amazon union, the National Labor Relations Board said .

And earlier this year, an Amazon union won a landmark victory at an Amazon warehouse on Staten Island, New York .

An Amazon spokesperson said the company is pleased employees are choosing to maintain a " good relationship" with Amazon, which is best for employees and customers .

However, Chris Smalls, president of the Amazon union, said on Tuesday: "We will continue to work hard to get fair treatment for all Amazon employees . This is not a failure , and the war is not over yet. "

The factory, called ALB1, is located on the Hudson River in New York State. This is the fourth union vote held at an Amazon warehouse this year . ALB1 is much smaller than the warehouse JFK8 on Staten Island . About 950 people were eligible to vote at ALB1 , compared with about 8,300 workers who voted at JFK8 in April .

Amazon recently raised starting wages for front-line workers nationwide by $1 to an average of $19 an hour , and has highlighted its better pay and health benefits than other similar jobs . Amazon leadership has said unions could hinder its flexibility to adjust its business .

Federal labor data shows that the number of injuries at Amazon warehouses is far higher than the national average. Workers also say that Amazon warehouses have long had a high turnover rate due to a variety of factors, mostly because employees can't bear the pressure of work or Amazon's needs for employees have changed .

Amazon has also reportedly informed workers that their wages and benefits could be affected if they join a union . Amazon has also fired some union organizers in recent months. Amazon has said employees are fired after violating internal policies .

Those who voted against unionizing said they would prefer to keep the status quo. Yari Reyes, who has worked at ALB1 for about two years, said she doesn't believe a union would provide better pay and benefits.

“ What good does it do to have a union come in and disrupt our communication with leadership ? Joining a union will only drive a wedge between us . ”

Still, workers at Amazon and many other warehouses remain divided. Worker groups in multiple locations said they went on strike last week, including at an Amazon Air hub in Southern California, where workers said Amazon’s recent pay raises did not make up for the impact of rising prices this year.

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