Amazon changed the timing of traffic lights during the union campaign, county officials say

As part of its ongoing struggle for Alabama’s warehouse union efforts, Amazon reportedly changed the time for a traffic light outside the warehouse, according to report of Most perfect union. Union organizers at the scene had already accused the company of changing the hours so that pro-union workers could not look for workers while standing at the lighthouse.

Until recently, the time change at the traffic lights outside the factory had been dismissed as a rumor. But Most perfect union confirmed with Jefferson County officials that last year Amazon notified the county of traffic delays during shift changes and asked for the traffic light to be changed. On December 15, the municipality increased the duration of the green light in an effort to get workers out of the workplace more quickly. There is no indication that the county was aware of the ongoing organizational effort or any effect that traffic light changes might have on the effort.

Bessemer warehouse workers began their union election on February 8, seeking to form a union under the Retail, Warehouse and Department Store Union (RWDSU) after months of organization. Amazon vigorously contested the effort, posting anti-union pamphlets throughout the factory, especially in the bathroom. Before the official vote, workers also received a flood from Amazon warning of the potentially negative consequences of union membership.

“I’ve never seen Amazon fight for something like this,” said a former Amazon employee The Verge previously, describing the flood of anti-union messages. “I’ve never seen them try to push something that hard before.”

The traffic light is significant for organizers due to the significant rules on how and where organizers can approach employees in accordance with US labor laws. Employers like Amazon retain the right to restrict conversations outside of work, and non-employees are generally not allowed in the workplace during office hours. As a result, preliminary spaces, such as public roads outside the workplace, are often important locations for organizers looking to raise awareness about a union campaign.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.