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Thank god and whoever else for this. This is amazing. I realize and understand a segment of HN readers are sympathetic to unions(the American version too), and

Thank god and whoever else for this. This is amazing. I realize and understand a segment of HN readers are sympathetic to unions(the American version too), and some are vocal advocates as well, but I am absolutely elated at this outcome. Edit: Question: Can this vote also be taken as a proxy indicator of the working conditions not being anywhere close to what the sensational and click-bait media pieces point out to be?

clydethefrog 6y ago
The piss bottles and bags to poop in weren't click-bait. This is based on leaked documents. https://theintercept.com/2021/03/25/amazon-drivers-pee-bottles-union/ https://theintercept.com/2021/03/25/amazon-drivers-pee-bottl...
- hnunionthrow 6y ago
  Sure. But this is not specific to Amazon. Most media pieces around this made it sound like Amazon drivers' are exclusive to this experience. A lot of people working in the transportation industry do this and it is not very hard to imagine why they would do this. Just one example: https://www.quora.com/Do-truck-drivers-ever-actually-use-piss-jugs https://www.quora.com/Do-truck-drivers-ever-actually-use-pis... You can find several other articles, and also speak to actual drivers and they will also explain why do they do this.
  - Dirlewanger 6y ago
    We know it's you, Amazon's PR firm, behind that throwaway account.
lexs 6y ago
Especially in that region, I would take this vote rather as an indicator of the lack of alternatives. Amazon is so large that they could simply scrap that location without being that bothered, yet the workers do not have that freedom. The choice is between taking what you can get even if it is tied to bad working conditions or having nothing at all.
GavinMcG 6y ago
To answer your question, probably not. For a fuller answer, I'd read this breakdown by Jane McAlevey, who wrote the extremely well-sourced "No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age" about the importance of actual organizing, rather than just trying to drive an approval vote: https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/bessemer-alabama-amazon-union/ https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/bessemer-alabama-... Basically, there were a number of really bad tactical errors made by organizers throughout the process.

clydethefrog 6y ago

The piss bottles and bags to poop in weren't click-bait. This is based on leaked documents. https://theintercept.com/2021/03/25/amazon-drivers-pee-bottles-union/ https://theintercept.com/2021/03/25/amazon-drivers-pee-bottl...

hnunionthrow 6y ago
Sure. But this is not specific to Amazon. Most media pieces around this made it sound like Amazon drivers' are exclusive to this experience. A lot of people working in the transportation industry do this and it is not very hard to imagine why they would do this. Just one example: https://www.quora.com/Do-truck-drivers-ever-actually-use-piss-jugs https://www.quora.com/Do-truck-drivers-ever-actually-use-pis... You can find several other articles, and also speak to actual drivers and they will also explain why do they do this.
- Dirlewanger 6y ago
  We know it's you, Amazon's PR firm, behind that throwaway account.

lexs 6y ago

Especially in that region, I would take this vote rather as an indicator of the lack of alternatives. Amazon is so large that they could simply scrap that location without being that bothered, yet the workers do not have that freedom. The choice is between taking what you can get even if it is tied to bad working conditions or having nothing at all.

GavinMcG 6y ago

To answer your question, probably not. For a fuller answer, I'd read this breakdown by Jane McAlevey, who wrote the extremely well-sourced "No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age" about the importance of actual organizing, rather than just trying to drive an approval vote: https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/bessemer-alabama-amazon-union/ https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/bessemer-alabama-... Basically, there were a number of really bad tactical errors made by organizers throughout the process.