Amazon workers in Alabama who are in the midst of a historic union vote got a subtle shoutout from President Biden on Sunday.
Without naming Amazon, Biden offered his support in a video posted on Twitter.
“Today and over the next few days and weeks, workers in Alabama and all across America are voting on whether to organize a union in their workplace,” Biden said. “It’s a vitally important choice — one that should be made without intimidation or threats by employers.”
The 6,000 workers in Bessemer, Alabama, began voting on Feb. 8 and are expected to conclude the process by the end of March.
“There should be no intimidation, no coercion, no threats, no anti-union propaganda,” Biden said in the video. “The choice to join a union is up to the workers — full stop.”
The vote is one of the most closely watched labor actions and has the potential to be game-changing for Amazon, which has fiercely fought against labor groups. It is the first vote since 2014, in which the Amazon employees in Delaware rejected the union.
In January, the online behemoth sought to get approval for an in-person vote rather than by mail-in ballot. The National Relations Labor Board rejected Amazon’s request.
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) has been spearheading the effort to unionize.
In an attempt to sway workers, Amazon set up a website doitwithoutdues.com claiming they’d have to pay $500 to the union for benefits they are already receiving from e-tail giant.
