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Professor Barry Eidlin comments on Alabama Amazon union loss in the Globe and Mail.

Published: 19 April 2021

On April 9, 2021, one of the most high-profile union elections in recent U.S. history came to a close. Workers at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama voted by more than 2-1 against joining a union, following a months-long campaign that drew international media attention. This was a major setback for U.S. unions, who see unionizing Amazon as key to reviving labor’s fortunes. In an op-ed published in the Globe and Mail on April 10, Prof. Barry Eidlin explained both what made the election so significant, and what the loss means for the future of labor. He argued that the union defeat in Bessemer says more about the broken state of U.S. labour law than it does about unions’ current relevance or popularity.

Link: “Failed Effort to Unionize Amazon Shows Just How Broken U.S. Labour Law Is.” The Globe and Mail, April 10, 2021, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-efforts-to-unionize-amazon-shows-just-how-broken-us-labour-law-is/

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