Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams has stepped up to support Amazon workers in Alabama as they fight to unionize. On February 21, Abrams posted a video online urging workers to formally unionize and “make your jobs safer, stronger and more secure.”
“You deserve the dignity and well-being that a union can help provide, allowing you to care for yourself and those you love,” she said.
The fight to unionize in Alabama is one of the most publicized labor fights in recent memory. Nearly 6,000 workers in the state of Alabama are pushing to unionize as Amazon fights back. The tech giant points to increased wages and other benefits as a reason not to unionize, but the fight continues.
Amazon workers began mail-in voting to unionize on February 8. This process will conclude next month on March 29. During the process, a number of workers have reportedly received text messages urging them not to unionize.
"I support the efforts of Amazon workers seeking to organize a union - and the protection of whistleblowers. Especially amid #COVID19, all workers must be safe and their rights must be protected. No one should choose between their health and a paycheck," she tweeted.
If successful, this union will become the largest under the Amazon umbrella. The final results of the vote will be shared at the end of March. As for Abrams, many expect her to mount a run against Georgia Governor Brian Kemp next November. However, she has not yet announced her decision.
Photo Credit: Getty Images