Amazon Union Prez to Supporters: ALU Will NOT Affiliate With Teamsters, Chants 'F*ck Jeff Bezos'
LANGUAGE WARNING
QUICK FACTS:
Earlier this week, following the Amazon Labor Union’s (ALU) election victory in Staten Island, ALU founders Chris Smalls and Derrick Palmer traveled to Washington, D.C. and met with politicians and the presidents of the American Flight Attendants and Teamsters unions.
Following a picture of Smalls shaking hands with Sean O’Brien, the President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, some on Twitter apparently speculated that ALU may affiliate with the Teamsters
This internet speculation led Smalls to address the issue with his supporters at a Friday rally.
Later in the rally, Smalls led supporters in a chant, saying “f*ck Jeff Bezos”
DETAILS:
On Friday, following a visit to Washington, D.C., where he met with Sara Nelson and Sean O’Brien, the presidents of the American Flight Attendants and Teamsters unions, respectively, Amazon Labor Union president Chris Smalls held a rally in New York with supporters.
During the rally, Smalls put to rest speculation that his independent union might affiliate with a larger, established union.
In a video (below) tweeted by Eric Blanc, an assistant labor studies professor at Rutgers University, Smalls explained his visit to the nation’s capital and his meeting with Teamsters’ president Sean O’Brien, stating:
“…I met him for the first time. Great guy. We had a great conversation and he’s going to be throwing resources at them [Amazon] because he wants to fight with us…and we’re not affiliating…get that out of the way now. We are still independent. I know there’s a lot of…you know, when I shook his hand…the pictures on Twitter and all that…I want people to know, we are independent. We are going to remain independent.
“The established unions…that’s right…we won this the way we did it, and we’re not going to give that up…no way…and I think they know that. They have to go through us, and it should be that way.
So, they’re going to support us. The Teamsters are going to support us. The big unions are going to support us and that’s all we’re asking for…resources, office space, money, whatever it takes…man power, strike funds…whatever it takes…lawyers, negotiators…we got it now…the cavalry has come…and it’s still coming.
So, Amazon, be prepared because we’re coming. I know y’all heard Biden when we said that…but he should’ve said the ALU is coming for Amazon...That’s what he should’ve said…Because we are.”
WATCH:
F*ck Jeff Bezos!
Later in the rally, Smalls led his supporters in a chant, stating: “Billionaires, they’ve got to go! F*ck Jeff Bezos! Tax Jeff Bezos!”
LANGUAGE WARNING
Although not widely reported in the press, during the run up to the ALU’s victory against Amazon, Smalls and his union received a lot of help from other unions, as well as the Communist Party and Democratic Socialists of America.
