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The American Federation of Food and Commercial Workers, the American Federation of Communications Workers, and the American Federation of Auto Workers resigned from the National Consumers League on the grounds that Amazon participated in the organization.
The three major unions have withdrawn from the board of directors of the oldest consumer protection organization in the United States, claiming that funds from Amazon have undermined the organization’s progressive mission.
In different letters last month, the presidents of the American Federation of Food and Commercial Workers, the American Federation of Communications Workers, and the Auto Workers Federation wrote that their group will immediately resign from their board of directors of the National Consumers Union, citing The Seattle-based e-commerce giant joins the group.
The presidents of CWA and UFCW wrote: “Unfortunately, in the past few months, it has become increasingly clear that NCL’s leadership is now prioritizing donations from anti-worker companies such as Amazon rather than its historical pro-workers. Labor and pro-consumer mission.”
The chairman of the auto worker stated in a letter from the union that consumer organizations “decided to work with Amazon and subsequent board discussions” left them no choice but to resign.
Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL, declined to comment, saying in an email that this was an “internal board of directors affairs.”
Founded in 1899, NCL stated on its website that the official mission of the organization is to “protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.”
The chairman of the board of directors is a representative of the international union of service employees, and one of the vice-chairmen is from AFL-CIO. Spokespersons for Amazon, SEIU and AFL-CIO did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday.
Amazon’s rapid growth, its expansion into areas such as grocery stores and package delivery, and its active and successful efforts to defeat union efforts among its workers have made it the main target and opposition of the American labor movement and progressive politicians allied with it. By.
According to its 2020 annual report, NCL’s donors last year included technology, financial, aviation, and pharmaceutical companies, as well as labor unions and law firms, and the report stated that it “supports labor union organizations and minimum wage increases in all states across the country.”
In March of this year, the non-profit organization issued a cautious statement about the union elections being conducted by Amazon warehouse employees in Bessemer, Alabama.
NCL said at the time that it supported workers’ rights to join unions, employees “seeking a stronger voice” on issues such as productivity expectations, and hoped that the company would respect the choices made by employees.
“We have worked with Amazon to resolve issues that are very important to consumers, including combating fraud and supporting youth financial literacy, and thank the company for its dedication to these issues and its commitment to support the national minimum wage of $15 per hour,” NCL said in the same Said in the article. statement.
Amazon employees voted against joining the union, but the hearing officer of the National Labor Relations Committee said that the result should be cancelled due to the company’s misconduct. Amazon denies wrongdoing.
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