Academy Award-winning actor Susan Sarandon paid Amazon employees a shock go to Friday afternoon within the Chelsea places of work the place the workers and volunteers had been cellphone banking to garner help for his or her nascent unionization efforts.
Sarandon, herself a member of SAG-AFTRA*, stated she’d heard the employees had been cellphone banking on social media and needed to cease by to indicate her help.
“Keep sturdy. You’re inspiring all people who’s in a union and all people who wants a union,” she stated. “I simply really feel you’re essentially the most optimistic factor that’s occurring proper now on this nation. … All people’s watching and actually rooting for you.”
Staff and volunteers, gathered on the Unite Right here Native 100 union places of work, are aiming to name all the estimated 8,000 employees at a Staten Island Amazon warehouse earlier than voting begins on March twenty fifth. The JFK8 distribution facility might develop into the nation’s first or second unionized Amazon warehouse. Staff in Bessemer, Alabama are additionally voting by mail on whether or not they need to kind a union. Each votes are anticipated to be tallied on the finish of the month.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel has beforehand stated the corporate needed their employees’ voices to be heard.
“Our workers have all the time had a alternative of whether or not or to not be a part of a union, and our focus stays on working immediately with our group to make Amazon an excellent place to work,” she lately stated. She didn’t return a request for additional remark Friday.
Amazon Labor Union organizers are campaigning to push for larger beginning wages, simply trigger protections, longer breaks and office enhancements, resembling shuttles for employees with lengthy commutes.
*SAG-AFTRA additionally represents workers of Gothamist and WNYC.