By William Thornton
Jennifer Bates, an Amazon worker who for many was the face of the union organizing effort at the Bessemer fulfillment center, said today she has been terminated from her job.
In an announcement from the Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union (RWDSU), Bates said she had just completed her third year on the job, but has been on worker’s compensation medical leave. At issue is her amount of unpaid leave, according to the union.
“We are a movement, we will not be stopped, and I know my union, recognized or not by you, has my back. We will fight this, I will not be silenced, we will not be stopped,” Bates said in a statement released by the union.
Mary Kate Paradis, an Amazon spokesperson, said Bates has the opportunity to appeal the decision.
“Our records indicate that Ms. Bates failed to show up to work for a period of time and didn’t respond or provide documentation to excuse her absences,” Paradis said. “We work hard to accommodate our team’s needs for personal leaves of absence, but like any employer, we ask our employees to meet certain minimum expectations for leave approval.”
According to the union, Bates has appealed her termination.
Bates is the second high-profile union organizing worker at Bessemer to be terminated this year. In January, Darryl Richardson, an Amazon employee credited by many with starting the union drive, announced through social media that he has been terminated by the online retailer.
Bates was one of the most outspoken of the union organizers at the warehouse, testifying before Congress and giving interviews to national media outlets during the two union elections in Bessemer. The union lost the first election in 2021, while the results of the second one are still being contesting.
RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum called Bates “one of the most public pro-union worker leaders we’ve seen in a generation.”
“We will continue to hold Amazon accountable and ensure workers’ voices are heard,” Appelbaum said. “Amazon’s behavior must not go unchallenged, and workers in Bessemer, Alabama must have their rights protected under the law. We urge the NLRB to carefully review Jennifer’s case, when it’s filed, and the countless other issues at hand to ensure no company, not even with the bottomless pockets of Amazon, is allowed to act above the law.”
Last month, the National Labor Relations Board issued five complaints against Amazon, one dealing with Bessemer, for a rule that union activists interpreted as a way to frustrate organizing activity. An Amazon spokesperson said the complaints were “completely without merit.”
Though there were more votes against unionization in the second Bessemer union election on March 31, 2022, there were a greater number of “challenged ballots” than the margin voting against the union – 993 votes against, 875 for the union. The NLRB’s Regional Director will eventually decide whether or not to open and count the 416 challenged ballots. Both Amazon and the RWDSU have objected to the election results.
