----- Original Message ----- From: secr(MG!) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 9:31 PM Subject: [mobilize-globally] Amazon anti-union campaign Subject: [MLNews!*] [SOLE] Fwd: Amazon anti-union campaign Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2000 05:17:02 -1200 From: "Claudia K White" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Organization: Angelfire (http://email.angelfire.mailcity.lycos.com:80) To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------- Forwarded Message --------- DATE: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 11:46:08 From: Lee Erica Byron Palmer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Student Org for Labor Econ and Equality <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> we might want to find out if someone is organizing a boycott? >Amazon Fights Union Activity >http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/29/technology/29AMAZ.html > >November 29, 2000 > >By STEVEN GREENHOUSE > >Amazon.com has come out swinging in its fight to stop a new >unionization drive, telling employees that unions are a greedy, >for-profit business and advising managers on ways to detect when a >group of workers is trying to back a union. > > A section on Amazon's internal Web site gives supervisors >antiunion material to pass on to employees, saying that unions mean >strife and possible strikes and that while unions are certain to >charge expensive dues, they cannot guarantee improved wages or >benefits. > > The Web site advises managers on warning signs that a union is >trying to organize. Among the signs that Amazon notes are "hushed >conversations when you approach which have not occurred before," >and "small group huddles breaking up in silence on the approach of >the supervisor." > > Other warning signs, according to the site, are an increase in >complaints, a decrease in quality of work, growing aggressiveness >and dawdling in the lunchroom and restrooms. > > Amazon, one of the leaders in electronic retailing, has stepped up >its antiunion activities the last week after two unions and an >independent organizing group announced plans to speed efforts to >unionize Amazon during the holiday e-shopping rush. The organizing >drive is the most ambitious one ever undertaken in the high- >technology sector, where the nation's labor movement has yet to >establish a foothold. > > The Communications Workers of America has undertaken a campaign to >unionize 400 customer-service representatives in Seattle, where >Amazon is based. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union and >the Prewitt Organizing Fund, an independent organizing group, are >seeking to unionize some 5,000 workers at Amazon's eight >distribution centers across the country. The unionization drive has >gained momentum because many workers are upset about layoffs at >Amazon last January and about the sharp drop in the value of their >stock options. > > One chapter on Amazon's internal Web site, which provides a rare >internal glimpse at how a company is fighting off a union, is >headlined, "Reasons a Union is Not Desirable." > > "Unions actively foster distrust toward supervisors," the Web site >says. "They also create an uncooperative attitude among associates >by leading them to think they are `untouchable' with a union." > > The Web site, which calls the company's workers associates, adds: >"Unions limit associate incentives. Merit increases are contrary to >union philosophy." > > A union supporter who insisted on anonymity and acknowledged >seeking to embarrass the company over its antiunion campaign made a >copy of the Web site material available to The New York Times. >Amazon officials confirmed that the material came from the >company's Web site. > > Patty Smith, an Amazon spokeswoman, said the main purpose of the >Web site material was to tell supervisors what they can do to >oppose a union and what actions by managers violate laws barring >retaliation against workers who support unionization. > > For instance, the Web site said supervisors could tell workers >that the company preferred to deal with them directly, rather than >through an outside organization. > > It also said supervisors could tell workers about the benefits >they enjoy. As for the don'ts, the Web site warns supervisors not >to threaten workers with firings or reduce income or discontinue >any privileges to any union supporter. > > Ms. Smith declined to name the lawyers the company had hired to >work on the material. > > Union leaders said in interviews yesterday that their organizing >drive was going somewhat worse than they had expected largely >because of the unexpected aggressiveness of Amazon's antiunion >efforts. Over the last two weeks, managers have held a half-dozen >"all hands" meetings for customer service workers in Seattle, where >managers have argued how unionizing would be bad for Amazon. > > Marcus Courtney, co-founder of the Washington Alliance of >Technological Workers, an affiliate of the communications workers' >union, said, "This shows how Amazon, despite its public statements >that this is a decision we let our employees make themselves and we >trust them to make the right decisions, all these meetings and the >internal Web site and their manuals show that Amazon management is >trying to take this basic democratic decision away from the workers >and make it themselves." > > Ms. Smith denied that the company was not letting workers make up >their own minds. "We hired intelligent and dedicated employees, and >we trust them to make decisions about what's best for their >future," she said. "But obviously we don't believe a union is best >for their future or our customers." > > In large, bold letters, the Web site tells supervisors: "A union >promotes and thrives upon problems between supervisors and >employees. Front- line supervisors who deal effectively with >associate problems avoid associates believing they need a union." > > Duane Stillwell, president of the Prewitt Organizing Fund, said: >"It's unfortunate that this vaunted high- tech company is just >saying the same crude things that factory owners have been saying >for 100 years about unions. They're just scaring people out of >wanting to do the right thing." > > > >The New York Times on the Web >http://www.nytimes.com Department of Sociology, University of Michigan 4022 LS&A Bldg, Ann Arbor, MI. 48109-1382. Tel: 734-763-1270, Fax: 734-971-1993 Residential College, University of Michigan 106 Tyler, East Quad, Ann Arbor, MI. 48109-1245. Tel: 734-647-4347, Fax: 734-971-1993 Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Michigan 1111 E. Catherine St., Ann Arbor, MI. 48109-2054. Tel: 734-647-6898, Fax: 734-971-1993 ** Donate free food daily at: http://www.thehungersite.com/ --------- End Forwarded Message --------- Angelfire for your free web-based e-mail. http://www.angelfire.com Reminder: HOLIDAY PELTIER GIFT DRIVE http://www.egroups.com/message/MainLineNews/8225 [Peltier Walk For Freedom, December 10 NY City] http://www.egroups.com/message/MainLineNews/7749 To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> eLerts It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free! http://click.egroups.com/1/9699/0/_/_/_/975970525/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]