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Still confused why they picked such an anti-union state like Alabama for an attempt at unionization. I was told by a friend who worked at the UPS distribution c

Still confused why they picked such an anti-union state like Alabama for an attempt at unionization. I was told by a friend who worked at the UPS distribution center in Montgomery that during the big strike in the 90s, that distribution center had the largest number of workers cross the picket line. It's not that the state government is anti-union, it's that the people in general are anti-union.

dnsco 5y ago
The largest coal mine union strike in 40 years is happening very close to the Alabama Amazon facility, and started just after the Amazon vote. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/business/2021/jul/28/union-advocates-rally-striking-alabama-coalminers https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/business/20...
tablespoon 5y ago
> Still confused why they picked such an anti-union state like Alabama for an attempt at unionization. My understanding is the particular area had a long history of unionization, maybe particularly by African Americans. I read about it elsewhere, but here's the first source I could find that speaks to that: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2021/03/16/the-amazon-union-battle-in-bessemer-is-about-dignity-racial-justice-and-the-future-of-the-american-worker/ https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2021/03/16/the-ama... > In the South, anti-labor laws are inextricably linked to the historic suppression of Black workers. Racism in the form of no- or low-wage Black labor has been part of the growth model of racialized capitalism. And when workers are unable to collectively bargain and demand their fair share, economic growth becomes concentrated in the hands of a few. > Fortunately, the Birmingham metropolitan area—home to Bessemer—has already proven that unionized Black workers can create economic growth and shared prosperity. At the turn of the 20th century, Birmingham labor unions facilitated the establishment of a Black middle class. Black and white miners organized to form the United Mine Workers (UMW) union and, together, secured better wages. Following UMW’s success, what was then known as the Alabama Federation of Labor (AFL) followed the same strategy of a racially integrated membership—in part out of fear that nonunionized Black workers would replace striking workers. As a result, Black Alabamians earned leadership positions and spots in every committee of the AFL, and the union’s first five vice presidents were Black. This inclusive labor movement continued until the 1930s, when U.S. Steel—rife with Ku Klux Klan members—began to restrict job promotions for unionized Black workers, limiting access to senior positions they previously occupied.

dnsco 5y ago

The largest coal mine union strike in 40 years is happening very close to the Alabama Amazon facility, and started just after the Amazon vote. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/business/2021/jul/28/union-advocates-rally-striking-alabama-coalminers https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/business/20...

tablespoon 5y ago

> Still confused why they picked such an anti-union state like Alabama for an attempt at unionization. My understanding is the particular area had a long history of unionization, maybe particularly by African Americans. I read about it elsewhere, but here's the first source I could find that speaks to that: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2021/03/16/the-amazon-union-battle-in-bessemer-is-about-dignity-racial-justice-and-the-future-of-the-american-worker/ https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2021/03/16/the-ama... > In the South, anti-labor laws are inextricably linked to the historic suppression of Black workers. Racism in the form of no- or low-wage Black labor has been part of the growth model of racialized capitalism. And when workers are unable to collectively bargain and demand their fair share, economic growth becomes concentrated in the hands of a few. > Fortunately, the Birmingham metropolitan area—home to Bessemer—has already proven that unionized Black workers can create economic growth and shared prosperity. At the turn of the 20th century, Birmingham labor unions facilitated the establishment of a Black middle class. Black and white miners organized to form the United Mine Workers (UMW) union and, together, secured better wages. Following UMW’s success, what was then known as the Alabama Federation of Labor (AFL) followed the same strategy of a racially integrated membership—in part out of fear that nonunionized Black workers would replace striking workers. As a result, Black Alabamians earned leadership positions and spots in every committee of the AFL, and the union’s first five vice presidents were Black. This inclusive labor movement continued until the 1930s, when U.S. Steel—rife with Ku Klux Klan members—began to restrict job promotions for unionized Black workers, limiting access to senior positions they previously occupied.