Publisher, Fran Zankowski Circulation Manager, Cal Winn EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief, Caitlin Rockett Senior Editor, Emma Athena News Editor, Will Brendza Food Editor, John Lehndorff Contributing Writers: Peter Alexander, Dave Anderson, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Shay Castle, Angela K. Evans, Mark Fearer, Jodi Hausen, Karlie Huckels, Dave Kirby, Matt Maenpaa, Sara McCrea, Rico Moore, Adam Perry, Katie Rhodes, Dan Savage, Alan Sculley, Tom Winter SALES AND MARKETING Market Development Manager, Kellie Robinson Account Executives, Matthew Fischer, Carter Ferryman Mrs. Boulder Weekly, Mari Nevar PRODUCTION Art Director, Susan France Senior Graphic Designer, Mark Goodman CIRCULATION TEAM Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer BUSINESS OFFICE Bookkeeper, Regina Campanella Founder/CEO, Stewart Sallo Editor-at-Large, Joel Dyer April 14, 2022 Volume XXIX, Number 32
As Boulder County's only independently owned newspaper, Boulder Weekly is dedicated to illuminating truth, advancing justice and protecting the First Amendment through ethical, no-holds-barred journalism, and thought-provoking opinion writing. Free every Thursday since 1993, the Weekly also offers the county's most comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage. Read the print version, or visit boulderweekly.com. Boulder Weekly does not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. If you're interested in writing for the paper, please send queries to: editorial@boulderweekly.com. Any materials sent to Boulder Weekly become the property of the newspaper. 690 South Lashley Lane, Boulder, CO, 80305 p 303.494.5511 f 303.494.2585 editorial@boulderweekly.com www.boulderweekly.com Boulder Weekly is published every Thursday. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. © 2022 Boulder Weekly, Inc., all rights reserved.
Boulder Weekly welcomes your correspondence via email (letters@ boulderweekly.com) or the comments section of our website at www.boulderweekly.com. Preference will be given to short letters (under 300 words) that deal with recent stories or local issues, and letters may be edited for style, length and libel. Letters should include your name, address and telephone number for verification. We do not publish anonymous letters or those signed with pseudonyms. Letters become the property of Boulder Weekly and will be published on our website.
4
l
Amazon workers’ win and fragile promise of union revival by Dave Anderson
T
his April Fools’ Day, David beat Goliath. It wasn’t a joke. Workers at Amazon’s huge warehouse on Staten Island voted to form a union by a wide margin. Amazon is this nation’s second largest employer, and PBS Frontline said it’s “one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world.” The New York Times reported, “No union victory is bigger than the first win in the United States at Amazon, which many union leaders regard as an existential threat to labor standards across the economy because it touches so many industries and frequently dominates them.” Last November, a group of more than 200 public health experts sent a letter to Amazon calling on the company to improve its working conditions. An investigation by the group found that Amazon workers had: “Nearly double the national average rate of warehouse workplace injury;” “Chronic stress from the workload and work quota system;” “Risk of contracting APRIL 14, 2022
l
chronic and infectious disease due to lack of restroom access and inadequate COVID-19 protections.” There are many discontented Amazon workers across the country. Turnover is 150% which means that a typical worker stays for less than a year. Nevertheless, many have decided to stick around, organize and fight back. At Amazon’s Bessemer, Alabama facility, a union drive led by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) was crushed by a two-to-one margin in an election in April 2021. In November, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ordered a second election this March after it determined that Amazon’s intense intimidation tactics were illegal “flagrant unfair labor practices.” The union lost again but by a small margin. There are enough contested ballots that the outcome might be reversed. There’s an important difference between Bessemer and Staten Island. More workers in New York state are union members (20%) than in Alabama (6%). Higher union “density” creates a positive “word of mouth” message among working people. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, union members in Colorado accounted for 6.5% of wage
see ANDERSON FILES Page 5
BOULDER COUNTY’S INDEPENDENT VOICE
