Fired Amazon Workers Reach Settlement with Amazon

For Immediate Release: September 29, 2001, 4:30 PM PST
Contact: Tom Geiger, Special Projects Director, UFCW 21, 206-604-3421

Fired Amazon Workers Reach Settlement with Amazon

In the early stages of the COVID pandemic, in the late spring of 2020, two Amazon workers, Emily Cunnigham and Maren Costa, were fired from their jobs at Amazon. They were told it was due, in essence, to a violation of policies. They however believed it was in response to, and in retaliation for their protected and concerted activities in support of Amazon’s warehouse workers. These two workers approached UFCW 21 to request assistance in filing an Unfair Labor Charge against Amazon. After consideration, that case was filed by UFCW 21 and the local Union assigned the case to our legal counsel.

One aspect of the National Labor Relations Act is that it protects workers’ concerted and collective action – regardless of whether that worker is in a union. The law also allows a union to file a case on behalf of non-represented workers if those workers seek that representation. That is what happened in this case.

The Settlement Agreement on Case No 19-CA-266977 was reached earlier this afternoon. The Settlement includes a requirement that Amazon make a posting notifying Tech and Warehouse workers of the settlement notice and that they have the right under the law to express themselves in collective and concerted activity. This posting is required to be done nationwide. Amazon must also document their compliance with the Posting Notice and then provide evidence of that documentation of compliance directly to UFCW 21.

“Being able to assist not-yet-unionized workers who were acting in accordance with the law and who were fired has been an honor and responsibility we took very seriously. We felt that the workers had a strong case from the beginning and we want to encourage all workers to speak out in a collective and constructive way to improve their workplaces if they so choose,” said Faye Guenther, President of UFCW 21.

UFCW 21 is a strong believer in workers’ voices being heard. As such, we would request that all requests for interviews go to Emily and Maren and not to our attorney or staff. These workers can and will speak for themselves.

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UFCW 21 represents over 46,000 workers in grocery stores, health care, retail and other industries across Washington State.

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UFCW 21 Statement on Amazon’s Newest Cashierless Grocery Store

February 25, 2020
Press Contact: Joe Mizrahi, jmizrahi@ufcw21.org

UFCW 21 Statement on Amazon’s Newest Cashierless Grocery Store

Our customers aren’t clamoring for more checkout robots and fewer human staff around to assist them. In fact, local union grocery PCC removed self-checkout kiosks last year because customers value their relationships with their checkers. We know this industry, like many, is changing as technology changes, but we believe workers should have a say in that change and that new tech should be focused on customer experience, not just corporate profits.

It’s too bad that Amazon continues investing vast sums in technology that is just a solution in search of a problem nobody is facing. Instead of creating overly automated stores, which are unlikely to be economically viable for simple grocery items, Amazon could choose to invest in their workers with fair wages and benefits so workers can support their families and live in our community.

Grocery store workers in our region have fought hard to set high standards in our industry, including the right to bargain over our wages and working conditions. Union grocery store workers here have affordable family health care, a secure pension in retirement, and a voice on the job. We invest in our communities and we’re committed to our customers. And we know our community values good jobs all the way through the food chain. Amazon, on the other hand, is most notorious in the industry for unilaterally slashing health benefits for thousands of Whole Foods workers last year and having their workplaces constantly compared to dystopian science fiction.

UFCW 21 is working to build a powerful union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and our communities. We represent over 46,000 workers in retail, grocery stores, health care, cannabis, and other industries in Washington State. When workers are ready to form a union, give UFCW 21 a call.