 Well, we're finally getting some results about the Amazon union vote outcome, and it's not over yet But it's not looking too good so far. So as you can see here, we have 463 yeses to 1100 knows Yeah, this is Very very disappointing So far as you can see They need at least 1608 yes votes in order for the union to win the New York Times explains The first ballots counted in a closely watched bid to unionize an Amazon warehouse in Alabama We're heavily against the effort according to an unofficial tally of the results by the New York Times More than two-thirds of the first 600 votes to be counted were against unionization the ballots are being counted in a random order in the National Labor Relations Board's office in Birmingham The union seeking to represent workers said late Wednesday that 3215 ballots had been cast or about 55 percent of the roughly 5800 workers who were eligible to vote hundreds of ballots are being contested mostly by Amazon according to the retail wholesale and Department Store Union so it's not looking good so far. And of course Amazon is contesting the ballots But they've done more in terms of trying to sabotage the effort aside from their public union busting efforts So as more perfect union reports more perfect union has obtained emails showing that Amazon privately pressured USPS To install an illegal ballot drop box during the union election in Bessemer, Alabama The emails directly contradict public statements by USPS about the box's origins The emails were obtained through a FOIA request by RWDSU Many of the exchanges have been almost entirely redacted and any mentions of Amazon officials has been removed But here are some key findings that we have been able to glean from the FOIA request first We learned at that beginning January 8th one month before the union vote begins Amazon repeatedly calls USPS a strategic account manager To say they want to install their own box USPS team deliberates Amazon's request and says a private box may not be utilized USPS then decides to install one for them Amazon HQ would like to be kept in the loop a USPS official Informs the entire national and local team. We don't know for sure But in a series of redacted emails it appears that for over the next week Amazon and USPS haggle over the acquisition of a box What kind of box can be installed and how quickly it can be done on February 3rd a USPS official Sends an email stating that it is dedicating time and effort to physically altering a collection box that wouldn't meet Amazon's needs USPS says it is hollowing out a box that would allow for bulk mail ballot collection Amazon demands USPS install the box by February 7th one day before the union vote was to begin USPS says it is working with Amazon to place that box in a convenient location on the Bessemer campus as we documented with Grim Kim Amazon had the ballot drop box installed in violation of explicit guidance from the federal government The box is installed the evening of February 9th late at night under cover of darkness The mailbox was critical for Amazon strategy because it wanted to pressure employees to bring ballots to work that they'd receive at home In the mail by doing this they could then pressure and monitor employees to submit no votes So let's just say that if this vote were taking place in A foreign country Latin America the United States government would invade them For not being democratic enough the entire process itself has been completely flawed There's been zero transparency. There's been fuck-ree and shenanigans from Amazon and um, if they win it's because you know, there's this power imbalance and that's deeply frustrating Again, this is kind of a developing story, I'm reading you the details that just were released But if this union were to succeed it would be a game changer It could catalyze some sort of dominant effect where other Amazon warehouses across the country unionize and other companies, perhaps Unionize, but this is why Amazon fought it tooth and nail They know this could open the floodgates and they don't want that to happen So it's you know a little bit disheartening. We don't have all the votes yet They're being counted randomly, but just off this preliminary results Amazon is Looking poised to win and that's because they have done so much to manipulate this effort Really disheartening, you know, there was a chance that labor could have at least a victory here when it comes to Amazon But doesn't appear that that's the case. I hope that the situation changes But right now not looking too good for the Amazon Union effort in Bessemer, Alabama