Tech Won't Save Us How to Unionize Amazon w/ Justine Medina & Karen Ponce
Paris Marx is joined by Justine Medina and Karen Ponce to discuss how the Amazon Labor Union succeeded in unionizing Amazon’s JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island, what it’s like working for Amazon, and where the movement to unionize Amazon goes next.
Justine Medina is a packer at the JFK8 warehouse and is on the organizing committee of the Amazon Labor Union. Karen Ponce is a stower at JFK8 and the interim secretary of Amazon Labor Union. Follow Justine on Twitter at @jnmedina8989 and Karen at @Karennn_928.
🎉 This month is the show’s second birthday. To celebrate, we want to get 100 new supporters at $5/month or above to bring on a producer to help make the show. Help us hit our goal by joining on Patreon. You can also follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter.
Find out more about Harbinger Media Network at harbingermedianetwork.com.
Also mentioned in this episode:
- You can support the Amazon Labor Union by donating to its Solidarity Fund.
- Justine spoke to Labor Notes and wrote about why the ALU won.
- The ALU is making 8 immediate demands of Amazon.
- Chair of the ALU’s Worker Committee Angelika Maldonado spoke to Jacobin about the union win.
- Lauren Kaori Gurley wrote about the Amazon Labor Union’s successful union vote at JFK8.
- In early 2020, Amazon fired Chris Smalls and tried to smear him as “not smart or articulate,” but their internal memos leaked.
- Jacobin and Briarpatch published articles on the need to salt at Amazon.
- Chris Smalls says workers from 50 facilities have contacted the ALU.
- The ALU is demanding to meet with Amazon in early May to begin bargaining.
- Amazon is planning to ban a ton of words in its chat app.
- Amazon forcing people to work in warehouses without air conditioning was a scandal in 2011.