Attorneys representing Amazon and those unionizing its KCVG air hub in Hebron, Kentucky will resume a federal hearing on Monday.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) moved the hearing up starting Aug. 12 to hear testimony about the company’s firing of two union organizers, but inquiries that were put on pause earlier this year will resume on Monday.
CityBeat will report from the hearings starting Monday.
CityBeat will report from the hearings starting Monday.
The case
The NLRB issued a consolidated complaint against Amazon on March 5, alleging Amazon retaliated against several KCVG employees for union organizing, required employees to attend anti-union presentations and tracked employees who were engaging in union activity, among other complaints. One of the incidents mentioned in the complaint is a union rally on March 18, 2023. During that rally, Amazon security blocked off protesters from the entrance to KCVG and escorted out visiting union organizers from Amazon's Staten Island warehouse, including Amazon Labor Union (ALU) president Chris Smalls.
During the April hearings on the allegations, lawyers for Amazon successfully argued to a federal administrative judge that Amazon needed time to review documents requested by the NLRB alongside the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Because Amazon's air hub at KCVG is an airport, it must comply with federal TSA law about sharing sensitive security information, or SSI as it's called in court documents. In a motion presented during a hearing on April 23, Amazon's lawyers asked for a protection order to give the company time to seek guidance from TSA.
"Amazon is responsible for the security at a portion of the CVG airport, and Amazon must comply with the specific TSA Regulations governing airport security," reads the motion from Amazon's lawyers.
Judge Ira Sandron did not accept the motion or strike it down, but he did agree with Amazon that guidance from TSA was needed to make sure the proceedings don't pose a security issue.
The move angered the unionizing employees who saw Amazon’s push to delay the case as a stalling tactic.
"I'm aggravated. Amazon is just delaying this and wasting everyone's time," said Jordan Martin, KCVG ramp associate and supporter of the union drive, in April.
Enter the Teamsters
After the hearings were put on pause, the unionizing KCVG employees voted to organize with the Teamsters going forward – the nation’s largest union representing more than 1 million workers in almost every industry in the U.S. and Canada.
Bryan Trafford is a union organizer for the Teamsters Local 89 in Louisville, Kentucky. He told CityBeat this NLRB hearing is just another step in KCVG employees getting a union contract.
“Amazon repeatedly and flagrantly shows complete disregard for labor law,” Trafford said. “These hearings are about making sure that Amazon does not illegally interfere with workers rights to advocate for better wages, hours and working conditions as they have a right to do under the law. [...] It's baked into their business model to fire workers indiscriminately. They don't want workers to stay around a long time, and the only way to improve your conditions at work collectively is to organize and use your rights under labor law.”
Amazon declined to respond on the Teamsters’ comment for this story, and instead referred CityBeat to their previously stated position on the NLRB case. Amazon spokesperson Mary Kate Paradis told CityBeat in March that the allegations are unfounded.
"The allegations in this complaint are without merit. Our Solicitation Policy is lawful, and we will continue to defend our position as the legal process continues," Paradis said.
"The allegations in this complaint are without merit. Our Solicitation Policy is lawful, and we will continue to defend our position as the legal process continues," Paradis said.
Background on the union effort at Amazon
Employees at KCVG began union efforts in November 2022 after upper management announced there would be no peak pay for the 2022 holiday rush, but mandatory overtime would be required. Amazon’s gross profit for the 2023 fiscal year was $256.202 billion, an 18.52% increase year-over-year for the world’s largest retailer.
Employees pushing for a union at KCVG are asking for a standard $30-per-hour wage, improved health benefits, on-site translation for non-native English speakers, union representation at disciplinary hearings and more.
