(STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK) - Amazon Labor Union (ALU) Members have voted to affiliate with the 1.3 million-Member Teamsters Union by a near unanimous 98.3% in favor.

The labor affiliation brings renewed representation and powerful resources to Amazon Workers as they organize nationwide and demand a contract from the trillion-dollar global corporation.

ALU-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local 1, which will be newly chartered, will represent the roughly 5,500 Amazon Warehouse Workers at JFK8 in Staten Island, New York and will have jurisdiction for Amazon Warehouse Workers across New York’s five Boroughs.

Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said: “Workers at Amazon - in the warehouses or behind the wheel - have proven they have the strength, unity and determination to take on the greediest employer on the planet - and win.  Together, with hard work, courage and conviction, the Teamsters and ALU will fight fearlessly to ensure Amazon Workers secure the good jobs and safe working conditions they deserve in a Union contract.  The Teamsters set the standard with our agreement protecting (340,000) UPS Warehouse Workers and Drivers in this industry.  You can be certain that we will hold Amazon to these same standards and not the other way around.  As long as Amazon exploits and abuses Workers, this corporate bully will have to answer to the Teamsters and ALU, standing together.”

ALU President Chris Smalls added: “On behalf of the Amazon Labor Union, I’m proud of our Members choosing a path to victory.  We’re now stronger than ever before.  Having the support of (1.3 million) Teamsters to take on Amazon gives us tremendous Worker Power and the opportunities to demand better conditions for our members and, most importantly, to secure a contract at JFK8.”

Workers at JFK8 were united, prevailing against an intense Union-Busting Campaign by Amazon that included the company flooding its warehouses with managers pressuring Workers to vote no, threatening Workers for overseeing ballot boxes, and repeatedly calling the police when Workers were being informed of their rights.

Local 1 will represent the first ALU-IBT Affiliate established under the Teamsters Constitution.

Members of ALU-IBT Local 1 will have access to the financial and organizational resources of the Teamsters International Union, the Teamsters Amazon Division and Teamsters Joint Council 16 in New York.

The Teamsters represents 1.3 million Members in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Amazon Labor Union Votes to Ratify Teamsters Affiliation - International Brotherhood of Teamsters