For labor advocates, all eyes right now are on Bessemer, Alabama, where a group of Amazon workers are trying to form a union.
Solidarity demonstrations took place across the Bay Area on Saturday.
From Richmond, to Monterey, to a Whole Foods store in San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood, labor activists tried to send a message of support.
“It’s amazing and inspirational what these workers are doing,” said one demonstrator.
If successful, the Bessemer warehouse would be the first to unionize in Amazon’s history, and organizer Steve Zeltzer believes more could follow.
“It’s invaluable because, basically, Jeff Bezos, the owners of Amazon, were shocked that these workers organized themselves – over 3,000 workers signed cards,” he told KCBS Radio. “It shows people are getting fed up.”
Amazon has reportedly been campaigning hard against the unionization push.
A spokesperson told KCBS Radio that the company already offers many of the benefits that union supporters are asking for, including $15 an hour starting pay.
The Bessemer workers will be voting on the issue over the next month, and the local activists will be watching closely.
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