What we’re fighting for
Amazon executives and shareholders claimed $30 billion in profits last year, yet we struggle to pay the rent, put food on our tables, and have any economic security. We’ve united around core demands, and are continuing to add to these demands as we build our union. Check out our demands below!
OUR KEY DEMANDS
In our union, demands will always be discussed and democratically debated and voted on by the union membership.
$30/hr starting wage
Jeff Bezos is “worth” $195 billion this year - the second richest man in the world. Meanwhile, KCVG workers struggle to pay the rent and have economic stability. We do the work! It’s time for $30/hour starting pay, with commensurate raises for higher seniority and higher classification workers.
180 hours PTO & no cap on accrued time off
We’re working to live, not living to work. We deserve time off to spend time with our families and friends, just like workers at other large employers.
Union representation at disciplinary meetings
Management selectively enforces the rules in our workplace: letting themselves off the hook for small infractions and singling out workers to make an example of us. With a union contract, we will have clear disciplinary standards, representation in every meeting with HR or management, legal resources, and a transparent process to address grievances.
Translation rights and an end to discrimination
Every day, English language learners at KCVG endure discrimination and harassment from Amazon managers. We need translation at work and on-site ESL classes, paid for by Amazon.
Fully paid childcare
Other major companies provide onsite child care or subsidies, but Amazon refuses to recognize that our families matter, too. We need full-coverage child care, provided onsite or offsite paid fully by Amazon.
WE’RE ALSO FIGHTING FOR
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With inflation and the cost of living skyrocketing we need more to provide for ourselves and families. As a company that makes $1.29 billion in revenue per day, Amazon is NOT short on cash. Workers at KCVG need and deserve:
Starting pay: $30/hr Minimum with annual raises based on tenure and tier
Extra Pay for Critical Roles (Including but not limited to: GSE Operator, Verifier, Learning Ambassador, AR, Amnesty, Non-Con, Problem Solve and Jam Clear)
Hazard Pay or Inclement Weather Pay when applicable
Bonus and Peak Pay
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Amazon doesn’t provide nearly enough PAID time off. They have lots of systems in place so workers can leave work early or have time off but most often it’s without pay. Workers at KCVG need paid time off and should not be penalized when we use it. We deserve:
80 hours of UPT: to be accrued weekly and will carry over each year and to be used by minute rather than hour.
80 hours Paid Vacation: to be accrued weekly and will carry over each year with increases based on tenure.
100 hours Personal Time: to be accrued weekly and will carry over each year with increases based on tenure. Every new year starting with 40 hrs with no cap on max time.
Paid Maternity and Paternity Leave: Available immediately on starting employment.
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Amazon’s promotions are constantly determined by favoritism. They only want to promote “yes people” who go along with management’s unfair treatment of workers. We demand Amazon:
Promotes from within and provides first opportunity to all internal candidates.
Provides visible, accessible, and open job postings for all associate applicants.
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Amazon’s policies like VTO are used solely for Amazon’s benefit. They ask workers to take voluntary time off when operations slow down to cut back on paid labor hours. Those who don’t take VTO when it’s offered often are forced to work even harder, creating a more dangerous work environment. Management only cares about how to squeeze more work out of us, regardless if we get hurt in the process. To achieve real safety procedures, we demand:
Minimum Staffing Levels by Department, determined with real worker input
Union Representation and Oversight in Safety Procedures
Permanent/fixed Planeside teams instead of rotating teams
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Amazon claims they have a fair, unbiased appeal process. The truth is they selectively enforce policies and target certain people based on favoritism and retaliation. With a turnover rate of 150% companywide, no one has job security at Amazon. They always want us to feel like we’re in danger of losing our jobs and that we’re disposable. We demand:
Union representation at disciplinary hearings with a formal procedure that is followed with oversight from the union. (Instead of management or HR pushing through write-ups selectively and without notice)
Any discipline imposed must be progressive, based on a clear and written policy that is provided to and accessible to all associates. For example: First offense should always be coaching (unless it’s a very serious offense), followed by oral reprimand, written reprimand, and suspensions if repeated.
No more going straight to discharge for minor offenses.
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We shouldn’t have to work for the rest of our lives. With union contracts, many workers have pensions that require management to pay into their retirement. Amazon touts their 401k plan but only matches contributions up to 2% of a workers annual income. With a starting wage of $19.50/hr at KCVG, Amazon’s maximum annual contribution to a 401k account is only $811.20 With a 401k, your savings is tied to the market and likely to substantially decrease in value during a major economic downturn. All workers should be able to retire comfortably with enough money to cover all expenses.
Defined benefit pension plans provide a fixed, pre-established benefit for employees at retirement.
Unlike a 401k, a pension is funded through direct contributions from the employer that are negotiated by the union. Amazon would be required to pay more for our livelihood going into retirement and we would not take the risk that comes with a 401k plan.
Unionized DHL workers in Philadelphia receive $7.96/hr into their pension account in addition to their hourly pay.
GET THE FACTS FROM WORKERS, NOT AMAZON
Amazon will tell all sorts of lies about our union, both inside our workplace and outside to the public. Here are some of Amazon’s usual union-busing lies — and the facts, straight from KCVG workers organizing the union.
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THE FACTS: The union isn’t a business, that’s Amazon. Our union is Amazon workers at KCVG fighting together for demands that we democratically decide on like a $30/hr starting wage.
It’s Amazon who pays Third Party union busting consultants to spread gossip and lies about our worker-led union. In 2022, Amazon spent $14 million on Third Party union busters instead of paying us $30/hr. Our union raising money to fight for our coworkers is not the same as Amazon making $1.3 billion every day and paying their executives billions, all off our hard work.
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THE FACTS: It’s Amazon who makes promises they don’t keep, like making our safety and wellbeing their top priority. We’re demanding a $30/hr starting wage, 180 hours paid time off, and union representation at all disciplinary meetings to end favoritism and retaliation, and more. And demands are NOT promises.
Demands are concrete goals that we democratically discussed and voted to fight for as a union. Amazon is opposed to our demands because they will cut into their greedy executives’ billionaire profits. Winning a union won’t mean we automatically win our demands, but it gives us the ability to collectively fight for them. The only reason Amazon workers haven’t won a contract yet in Staten Island is because Amazon is doing everything they can to stall and resist, including breaking the law. The more Amazon facilities that unionize, the more power we will have to win a strong contract.
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THE FACTS: Dues make our union strong by giving us the resources we need to win our demands and defend us from retaliation. Before we start paying, we’ll vote on the amount, which will always be significantly less than the raise we’ll win in our first union contract. For example, a $5/hr raise would mean $800 more per month for a full-time worker or $400 for part-time. Dues will be a small fraction of the raise in our paycheck.
The finances of our union are democratically discussed and transparent to members – unlike Amazon’s. If we elect full-time union officers, organizers or staff, they’ll never be paid more than the average wage of a KCVG worker.
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THE FACTS: It is illegal for Amazon to lower and take away, or threaten to lower and take away, wages and benefits we already have just because we’re unionizing. Amazon loves to talk about their “one team approach” and all the lines of communication we have with management, but that’s never gotten us higher wages, paid time off, or better benefits and job security.
Without a union, we have no actual say in the terms of our employment. After we unionize, Amazon is legally required to negotiate over wages, benefits, and working conditions. Every contract will be subject to a full democratic vote by the entire union membership. Why would we vote for a contract with worse benefits than we currently have? We wouldn’t. If we unionize and fight for it, we will only get more.
WE’RE BUILDING AN ACTIVE, WORKER-LED UNION
Support our union
Did you know that Amazon made $30 billion in profits last year? Our union campaign is funded entirely by working people like you, unions, and community groups.