Original subtitles

[tranquil melody pulses under chimes and distant rumble]

[tranquil melody continues, faint rumble of cargo ship]

[repetitive chord chimes]

[music continues]

[faint chatter]

[machinery whirs, blending with music]

[bus whirs]

[faint squeaking of breaks]

BUS ANNOUNCER:

This stop is Chelsea Avenue and Bloomfield Avenue

BUS ANNOUNCER:

Next stop, Fifth Street and Amazon Fulfillment Center.

[chimes become sparse and ominous]

[bus rattles and whirs]

[faint chatter]

[low musical hum under ominous melody]

[electronic crates rattle, whir, and beep]

[rattling, beeping, and shuffling]

MAN�S VOICE: [Indecipherable]

Two, one.

[explosive roar and rumble]

[rocket whooshes]

NEWS REPORTER: This is the first human

test flight for Blue Origin and on board

billionaire Jeff Bezos, the Founder of Amazon,

as we are tracking this huge flight for you today.

Still exciting to hear that sound, Nicole.

NICOLE: I�ve got goosebumps here.

I wish I were on that. [both laugh]

[faint rumble]

[quiet musical hum under chimes]

[outdoor ambient sound, plane approaches above]

[plane grows louder]

[people chatter]

What you like, a burger or hotdog?

-I�ll take a burger. -Sure.

-Wait, are you Smalls? -Yes.

-Wait, you�re like low-key famous, no?

[laughs]

SMALLS: Low-key? High key!

I�ve been on Dr. Phil. I�ve been on CNN.

I�ve been on 60 Minutes, -Yo!

-Fox News. I�ve been everywhere.

-That is dope! -I�m here as a volunteer.

That�s why� people don�t ask questions, they just

walk past us every day. Come ask questions,

don�t just assume. [plane flies overhead]

-People are scared. I was low-key scared.

-Scared of what? I�m the one who got fired. [both laugh]

Everybody else got their job. He was with me day one.

You know? Like everybody else is still here.

I�m the one that got fired because

I did the protest here last year.

[talking under loud truck rattling by]

SMALLS: David Zapolsky, the top

general council for Amazon, said that

pretty much that I�m not smart or articulate.

To make me the whole face of the unionizing efforts

against Amazon, they�ll be in a better

PR position

than to answer questions about health and safety

for the umpteenth time. [crosstalk]

[chuckles] It�s like what?

[hesitant laughter from others]

They said, �Make Smalls the�

Make Smalls the most interesting topic,�

or something like that. And then

at the bottom it says like

�general board agrees,� so, that means everybody,

including Jeff Bezos, in the room agreed on that.

That�s like, wow.

It�s like they took a vote on it, like�

...that�s crazy.

-That�s another question I have, okay, so even though

you don�t work at Amazon anymore, right?

So, you�re fighting for us to have a union.

So, suppose we do get a union,

how would you play a part in this?

-I�m the president already. We had an election last�

-Also, so there�s a provision in our constitution.

So, people who are wrongfully terminated by Amazon,

they don�t get forced out of the union. So, [crosstalk]

after we win the election here, everybody�s gotta

re-vote for� -You gotta re-vote, so

y�all can have a chance to vote again for who you all

want as president, as vice president.

-Angie, did you just join today?

-Yeah. Mm hmm.

-Were you coming off your shift when you met them?

-Yeah, so I was leaving and I was waiting right there by

the bus stop, and

Connor?� -Yeah. -came up to me

and he told me about what was going on. Yeah.

What department were you in? -Packing.

-Well, you worked the nights, right, night shift?

Nights. [plane flying overhead]

Are you daytime? -No, I�m on day shift.

-Day shift. SMALLS: Hey, what�s up bro?

-I just got fired. -Really?

GROUP: [crosstalk] -Aw� Man. -Yeah. I�m gonna�

I�m gonna get the appeal, and�

what happened was is that they didn�t let me know

certain things, so I got fired for it. But�

-What happened? -You know how there�s

a whole bunch of people there and it�s hard to clock in.

They were saying pretty much because

I wasn�t clocking in with my card directly

through the gate. [crosstalk]

SMALLS: They said that you were stealing company time?

-They said I was stealing company time. [crosstalk]

SMALLS: Yeah, that�s bullshit, but

do the appeals packet. -Yeah.

I was gonna get the card from you guys.

�Cause I know that you said like I can reach out to�

[crosstalk] -Just let me know when you get the packet.

And don�t fill it out til you talk to me.

-Alright, got it. No problem. Thank you.

Appreciate it.

SMALLS: So, we�ve been forming sorta like a

workplace committee. Derrick Palmer, he�s still

employed there. We got some other Amazon employees that

have been talking about unionizing that work there

and we talk to them all the time.

We�re ready to either decide to go independent

or we�re ready to sign onto any union that wants to

to represent that building.

Kevin� -I happen to be a current

Amazon worker at JFK8 too. -Nice to meet you bro!

-And I�m looking forward to this because

the pay and the work conditions are totally a nightmare.

I don�t even talk about this in the building because I

don�t know who I can trust yet.

That�s why I had to do this on a very long� [crosstalk]

SMALLS: What shift you work? KEVIN: 7:15 a.m.

to 5:45 p.m.

Derrick, you got him. [laughs] Kevin, meet Derrick.

Derrick, meet Kevin. We got you.

Talk to Derrick and that�s it right there. [crosstalk]

What department are you in, Kevin?

-Well, right now I work in the picking department.

-Damn! You probably would�ve been one of mine, man.

I would�ve been your s� [crosstalk] -Ooh PCS!

-Damn man! I would�ve been your supervisor.

[crosstalk] Sorry brother, didn�t have the pleasure man.

But just stick it out man. Stick it out. Stick with us.

We�ll support you, man.

KEVIN: Believe me, I�m tryin� to sweat it out

because I feel like a slave in there, I mean�

SMALLS: Oh, I know. We got you, Kevin.

Christina Brown, would you like to introduce yourself?

CHRISTINA: Hey everybody. Can y�all hear me?

-Yes, we can. -Yes.

CHRISTINA: Thank you so much, Chris. I appreciate you

and you�ve been there for me and the crew since

you found out about my sister�s passing, so�

She died January and she came there to be a sorter.

She had no business coming there and do COVID testing.

And she was not in protective gear. Not at all.

She was not a medical physician.

She was not a health aide or anything.

Why was she doing that? SMALLS: And we saw that

that facility didn�t even have any

plexiglass in there. CHRISTINA: No.

-No plexiglass. Nothing. -No, it didn�t at all.

When I look at my niece now, it�s just like I just cry.

SMALLS: Everybody here supports you and we support

your sister�s cause, which is

not getting enough attention. She is the reason why

we gotta continue to fight because

this company has not been held accountable.

CHRISTINA: And I want people to understand that my sister,

no, she is not the first person to die.

-Right. CHRISTINA: I want people to

understand that.

[alarm chimes]

ELECTRONIC VOICE: It�s 5:00 a.m.

[alarm continues to ring]

[alarm is turned off]

[whirring of bus and machinery]

Amazon Union. Amazon Union.

Want it?

Union literature for Amazon.

-Amazon Union.

Union, union, union, union.

Amazon Union.

[bus idles and whirs]

Here you go. MAN: [yells] Brainwashed!

-I�m trying to tell you they wanna rush and get home.

They�re ready to go.

Look, especially that

it�s 5:50, the ferry�s here too.

They�re brainwashed. For one, they�re brainwashed.

Two, they�re tired.

-This is because� You know what?

Imma tell you why, this because you know,

a lot of people that were sittin� there never really�

they might�ve heard about unions that we did, but

there�s very few of us that�s been in unions.

These people, you can see in their eyes, they�re scared.

[bus engine rumbles]

Call Dean� [outgoing ringtone]

So, I heard from a reliable source

that the captive audience meetings are starting

up tomorrow.

Also, they�re hiring like crazy.

Like when I came in this morning, there were new people

lined out the door.

You know, its crazy starting Amazon your second day

going to a captive audience. I think they wanna be

people�s first impression of what the union is,

what it wants.

We need to challenge the idea that these

captive audiences are even legal.

They are inherently coercive. They interfere with our

rights as workers. We should just go in,

occupy that training room, and don�t even let them

hold the meetings.

[faint bustle from inside factory]

[microphone rustles]

[whir and chatter of busy warehouse]

[conveyor belts whir and rattle]

[loud whir of warehouse]

[scanner beeps, door clanks, factory bell]

VOICE ON VIDEO: The union wants to speak

for you. They think they can do a better job

speaking for you than you�re doing for yourself.

Based on their priorities, they will decide what to

negotiate on your behalf and you will have to pay dues

whether you�re happy with the ALU or not.

NEW VOICE: We�re proud of our track record together.

[overly friendly male voice] The ALU has no track record.

They�ve never represented any employees anywhere.

All they have is promises,

but they can�t guarantee anything.

We�re asking you to do three simple things:

get the facts, ask questions,

and vote �no� to the union.

PERSON IN ROOM:

So, that�s the ultimate theme. Remember, your signature

is worth something. So, protect your signature.

-Hi, my name is Natalie. I�m a sort inductor

on the ship dock and I�m actually one of the organizers

for the Amazon Labor Union. Just to let you know,

the leader of the ALU is Chris Smalls.

He was fired last April when he went outside and protested

because we were not getting PPE inside the factory

even though we were processing it for the rest of the world.

Okay? So, him and his friends that also worked here

got fired. [crosstalk]

Okay? So, when I say that we put a union out there that

is worker led and is Amazon employees,

we have all of you in mind. It�s workers,

protecting workers, and standing up for workers.

[crosstalk and arguing from group]

NATALIE: No no no, I want to say one more thing.

[raises voice] You talk about $1,200? [crosstalk]

Union Busters make $2,000 to $3,000 per day

paid by Amazon to sell everybody out.

[microphone rustles, then silence]

[rustling]

We�re making it work.

Okay.

It�s one o�clock now, I�ll be able to get�

almost five hours of sleep.

That�s enough.

[rustling and shifting]

[vocalizes sigh]

[traffic whirs]

[geese cluck]

CHRIS SMALLS: Put it like this, the union is y�all.

There is no third party. -They already know that shit.

[crosstalk]

-If anybody�s scared that you know, tell them they can

sign online. All they gotta do is scan their phone.

-They are scared because they got people in there talking

them out of it. -Yeah, they�re paying them

$10,000. We know. We know. -That�s what is going on.

-We know, but we gonna get there though,

it�s only a matter of time. We got this. Thanks brother.

[loud nearby traffic]

DERRICK: So, you�re able to help out someone else

who�s dying for a union. �Cause there�s people in

there I talk to, they dying for it, bro, so�

you signed up, man, get a free plate,

contribute to our movement. We can all help.

We can all help. [lively chatter]

Feel me? Know what I mean?

-Yeah. -Thank you.

So, you sign. Yeah, that�s for the petition.

[car horns sound in support]

-Yeah! Thank you!

[car horns morph into melodic synthesized horns]

[traffic whirs, faint chatter]

[music fades, indistinct clacking]

CHRIS: Woop!

No hands.

RECORDED VOICE: It looks like your account is suspended�

[child chatters] �and your payment of

$30 is due now. And I see your account is

not eligible for an extension right now.

Say �pay now� �payment help� or tell me what else

you�d like to do. CHRIS: Pay now.

[child chatters]

PHONE VOICE: Cool! Payments. To keep your account active�

�is $30. Is that the amount you want to pay?

CHRIS: Yes

PHONE VOICE: Thanks.

CHRIS: When�s your next class?

DIFFERENT CHILD: Mine? CHRIS: Yeah.

-Mine is now.

-So, you need to put the game down and find out

how to get in there. -I�m trying to!

But I can�t. CHRIS: There�s no Zoom?

-There is a Zoom. -So, get in the Zoom.

[Skype chime] [rustling]

[Chris mimics the chime] ? Do-do-do-do-do-do-do ?

CONNOR: Um, let me pass it to�

Did you want me to pass it, Chris,

or did you say you wanna start the meeting?

CHRIS: Who else is left? We�ve got Seth.

Oh, Madeline! [crosstalk]

Let me introduce y�all to Madeline.

Madeline is hopefully going to be another salt for us,

hopefully.

You know, she�s in� You�re in Florida, right?

I�ve been talking to her on the phone and

I�ve been tryin� to convince her to come up here and

join us with ALU and get hired by the company.

And salt the building for us. So, Madeline, unmute yourself,

introduce yourself.

Hi, I�m Madeline. I did

student labor organizing when I was in college and

now I�m hoping to continue my work in the movement

with you all. [chuckles]

[sign rustles, chatter, laughter]

[traffic whirs by]

[soft droning music]

Where did my clipboard go? [busy chatter]

We�re all Amazon workers. We�re trying to form a union

that�s specifically for Amazon workers,

which is why we�re trying something completely new

here that gives us the legal right to bargain all of our

wages and working conditions as a group

instead of as individuals. The way it works now

is if you want a job here at Amazon, you have to sign

whatever the fuck and agree�� [voice fades out]

[DERRICK] Hey I don�t wanna bother you. I�m sorry.

I see you eating your mac, but we have hotdogs,

hamburgers, we got some baked ziti,

we got some real food over there, so� -Okay!

-Let�s have a walk.

Let�s get some real food, you know.

[busy chatter continues]

[calm music]

[children play]

[children and adults chatter]

CHRIS: Hey! [traffic roars by]

[yells] Hey, you know that�s illegal, right?

You know that�s illegal, right?

You�re not supposed to be doing that.

I�m talking to you.

You know that�s illegal, right?

Don�t do that!

[truck roars and rattles]

[bustle of traffic, outdoor music]

GROUP SINGS: ? Happy birthday dear, Jason ?

? Happy birthday to you ? [cheers and applause]

-Yay! -Wooo!

[joyous chatter, crosstalk]

-Make a wish. -Woooh! -Yay! [applause]

[joyous chatter continues]

-Yay! Happy birthday. -Happy birthday!

-Thank you guys!

This is so special!

CHRIS: The transit guru, y�all know what it is.

-Last year I was in there going through hell.

This year I�m here chilling!

[whoops and hollers]

P-A-S means particular annoying station.

A star, that means double fare.

That means that you can�t transfer between

directions.

My commute starts around here.

That means almost two hours all the way to JFK8.

Somebody like Daequan, he lives around here.

He will take more than two hours.

And my beloved sister, Angie,

who lives in Staten Island, has to pick up her son

at school and get to work on time.

But the buses are not quick enough

and it gets so crowded that if you miss one,

you�ll have to wait either 15 to 30 minutes

to the next one.

Even though, all of us,

we come from different backgrounds,

we developed

a family-hood bond,

that will never ever be broken.

[faint buzzing]

[quiet chatter]

[ANGIE] Wow. You look so handsome!

[city traffic]

Do you remember anyone�s name from

last time at the factory? -Yeah.

-Who do you remember from the factory last time?

-Um�

Um, Connor.

Did you tell Connor my tooth fell out?

-Yeah. -All right.

[hum of bus]

[soft musical drone]

[faint city traffic]

-Hello, everyone. [everyone greets]

[workers introduce themselves to each other]

-Hi. -I�m JM.

-What�s your name? -JM. -How are you?

[door slams]

[ambient outdoor whir]

[door opens] -I ain�t like that fucking meeting. I don�t

give a fuck what nobody� -That was crazy.

-It was just hostile as fuck. [crosstalk]

-God. -Lecturing us� [crosstalk] -At least get to

get to know us [crosstalk] -Instead of like asking us

questions she just assumed that we didn�t know what

we were doing. [laughs] -We never met her before,

and she was talking down to us like we did something to her.

-Word. [crosstalk] -Like we did something wrong.

-Talkin� �bout we gotta protect our characters,

we can�t do this and that. We gotta act a certain way.

I felt like I was� She talking to us like fuckin� kids�

-Yeah you gotta know how to behave.

-They got the impression that we don�t take this seriously

because we make decisions that don�t make sense to them.

-I�m tired of everybody assuming shit, like

that shit is crazy to me. How the fuck people think

they know what the fuck we about?

Everything we do is for the people, she got all

�I want to make sure y�all doing it for the people.�

We are the fuckin� people! Talkin� �bout the President.

We don�t give a fuck if Biden endorses or not.

We don�t care about Biden. -We�re never getting a

Biden endorsement. [laughs] -If any, we�ll get a AOC

endorsement. [crosstalk]

-We don�t care about no politician.

That�s why I say she don�t know what she�s dealing with.

We are Amazon workers. We have to match Amazon�s

intensity and power and in several different ways,

not just traditionally.

-But this is gonna go on for years.

This could go on for years, Chris.

[crosstalk] -I agree. CHRIS: It could also not!

[laughs] Y�all gotta understand we are the NWA,

the NWA of the organizing world.

Right now, Amazon is on their high horse,

and we want punch them in the face.

That was crazy. I was like,

what are we talking about here?

Talk about losing? Like it�s going to take years?

It is not. Look. DERRICK: No!

What the fuck are they talking about?

-We is not about� -Not gonna take no �years.�

[baby cries in background]

We�re not about to spend years in JFK8.

We gotta think outside the box.

[car honks, baby chatters] That�s the only way you gonna

beat them, is from the inside. -The inside out.

-Everything about these niggas.

-Everything�

And we know that these dumb motherfuckers do dumb shit.

I don�t know who�s on�

We know that Amazon makes stupid-ass mistakes.

They can have all the money and resources in the world,

they still do dumb shit.

-I wish they would have a union busting class

while I�m there. I�m walking in that shit

and I�m talking shit.

-You know, I can�t change who I am and

you can�t change who you are, Gerald can�t change who he is,

Jordan can�t change who he is. Four niggas�

started this shit. It is what it is.

And at the end of the day,

it�s gonna be us that have to lead the way.

[traffic whirs]

[hip hop music plays over speaker]

How you doin� guys? Amazon�s spreading a lot of

misinformation. Please take one of these.

It�ll help you understand what�s going on.

How you doing guys, please take one of these.

One, you cannot be terminated as easily anymore

�cause now they have to deal with us as well.

So all of that, you�re fired just because, you know,

you did one thing wrong. The firing process

is gonna be a lot harder. [crosstalk]

[background chatter]

You shouldn�t be doing all of that, go home�

You wanna go to a house, like I�ve been there,

I�ve lived out of my car too, for a whole summer,

and it ain�t three years, but I couldn�t even do a

summer.

But I had to get back on my feet before I got married,

so I know what you�re going through and it�s like,

yeah, you got your routine down but

you shouldn�t be going through that working for the richest

company in the world. That sounds crazy.

Alright,

no problem.

My phone died right on time.

-Chris, who was that?

-Natalie. She�s homeless.

She just told me today. I�m like, why

why you didn�t

tell me when you first met me?

And she don�t wanna be helped. I�m like, nah,

you can�t tell me this and then think I�m not gonna

help you, like what do you think is gonna�

But she�s gonna come around.

But it�s crazy. She just said that

she�s been living out of her car for the last three years.

Crazy.

[muffled hip hop music, bus whirs]

-I�ve been training a lotta new hires.

I spent half my time training and the other half of the time

answering questions about the union. I�m like,

I�m really happy you guys are here, you know,

congratulations, welcome aboard, but we gotta

stand up for ourselves. I said, �When they start

disrespecting you,� I said, �you stand your ground,

you look them in the eye, you tell them you�re not

gonna tolerate that shit. You don�t get paid enough

for that. And then you tell them, �You wanna do my job

better than I do? Let�s switch right now.��

[crosstalk] -My managers have no idea

I�m with union organizers. -Wow. [crosstalk]

-You wear the shirt?

-No, I don�t wear the shirt at work. Yeah.

So they have no idea� you would think

with Amazon surveillance technology, they would�ve

pinned me down by now. -Well, you have a college

degree too, that�s gonna help you really,

that�s really gonna help you up the ladder. [crosstalk]

-But they don�t know that. They never asked me anything

about my background.

-They could make the safe assumption.

-You think so? -Yeah. -They never asked me anything.

-Uhhh yeah, if I took one look at you,

I would know� college grad.

[both burst out laughing]

-Feels like an insult. -It�s a compliment.

No, no, no. It�s a compliment.

[lively chatter] When I talk to the women about the union�

Everybody�s gonna bring up the pay. -Ok.

-Everybody�s gonna bring up longer breaks

�cause everybody�s tired, everybody�s sore.

[lively background chatter] But if you go deeper

and bring up the gender discrimination,

the lack of promotions, the micromanagement,

being treated like workhorses while the guys

aren�t doing any work.

That�s another thing that�s really annoying.

I have to start over.

CHRIS: Please put us over 13. That�s all I ask.

-I�m gonna get a total number in a second.

You ready? [clapping] GROUP: Yes!

[table drum roll] One thousand

three hundred fifty three. [someone yells] Boom!

We�re right where we need to be.

-We got four weeks. -We got four fuckin� weeks.

-If the numbers from May were true,

we�d only need like 50 more signatures

to have a third. -Cancel all your plans

unless it�s family related. If it ain�t family related,

we at the fucking tent. Like, we got to.

[subdued electronic music]

I applied to be a manager 50 times.

You probably got less than

a two percent chance of becoming a manager

from becoming a PA.

And if you�re Black? Shit. You got a one percent chance.

When I mean I was training managers,

I was literally training them.

How the fuck am I gonna be a PA when I know more than you?

[chuckles bitterly]

You gotta come to me for shit, so,

who�s the real manager? Me.

They just didn�t realize how much I was invested

into the company. They didn�t even realize that.

It�s fuckin� crazy, but I don�t give a fuck.

[taps steering wheel]

I hope I get the last laugh. That�s all I�

[ethereal synthesized music]

[hip-hop plays over speaker]

The problem is if he refuses to comply, he could get

arrested. So if he refuses to take down the tent,

which I think would be the plan. Like if the cops

come and they say �you have to take down the tent,�

Chris is gonna say �No.�

-Right. Which he should.

-And that�s when they would arrest him.

-Which is a good strategy. That�s organizing. I mean-

-No, that�s putting his life in danger.

That�s not good. [crosstalk] -We have to make sure he does

it safely, planned arrests happen all the time.

-That was the MLK organizing strategy, was put ourselves

in positions where we would get arrested in a way

that the people arresting us� -Look what happened to him.

-look bad. He got shot. He got assassinated by the FBI

basically, I mean it was a whole other thing.

The police arrested him many times.

-You guys are out of your mind. [crosstalk]

You guys are acting like it�s not that big of a deal

because you�re white people. You guys want to get arrested?

Try being a Black person and getting arrested in New York.

-I�m not saying he should do it.

Like, it�s his decision. -He wants to do it. [crosstalk]

-There�s a very high probability that it�s

not gonna turn out well.

-So we can�t let the fear of the most remote possibility�

-It�s not a remote possibility that a Black

person could be killed by a cop in New York.

That shit happens all the time. [crosstalk]

Chris could die. -This sort of fear is going

to destroy� -It�s not a fear,

it�s a reality. It�s a reality.

The possibility that he gets arrested for the tent is-

it�s not a hundred percent-

-I love how you�ve only been in this group a month and

you�re already ready to put his life on the line for this.

[tense melody]

MADELINE: How long have you been working here?

-Seven months. -Okay, cool. And�

if you could change one thing about the job,

what would it be? Like anything.

-There�s a lot. I don�t know. [laughter]

-Yeah. -You don�t hit your rate�

I got written up three times for packing

when I first started. Three times.

They said, �you get another write up, then you get

terminated.�

Folks! Here�s a card! -Look at that.

DERRICK: Oh yeah, a sig! CHRIS: Yeah! Buy in!

JASON: Of course I�m buying in!

-I don�t have an exact number right now.

We have over 1,700.

CHRIS: One day, one day Maddie. -It�s ok.

[chatter and laughter]

CHRIS: Ask the right questions.

I�m at work right now.

I�ll probably be home later tonight.

CHILD: Ok. But you better not be so late because

I always fall asleep.

-Yeah, Imma try to get home early. [laughs]

Alright?

-Ok.

-And then you sign right there.

[lively chatter]

You�re signing the paper? -Yeah! [cheers from group]

-Good job!

CHRIS: This looks like� This look like something now.

[satisfied laugh]

This first fucking box got dust on it. [chuckles]

-That first one, right?

Sig god.

No. That�s all our work in that one.

-Yeah, the first one. The first one.

-Yeah. CHRIS: Finish this shit off

for the Gram. -Yeah. [chuckles]

[camera shudders click]

-Get it? -Yeah.

-Get the ALU. [faint chatter]

[shudders click]

-One second� [shudder click]

[indistinct chatter]

-Give us just a second. Just the folks with the

petitions right now, or the showing of interest.

And then let me find out how this is gonna work.

-Imma try� [cheers] That�s it, y�all!

We did it. [slaps box] It�s officially done.

Notice to employees will be sent out

in a matter of a week. Everybody in their facilities

will be notified that a petition has been filed.

-Hell yeah. [raucous cheers]

[excited chatter]

-I think the way we�ll do this is we have our proposed

leadership, and it�s the people that have been�

essentially that started this campaign.

And hopefully our vision can carry it through

to the election.

So for president, I�ll nominate you, Chris.

And then if somebody would like to

second that nomination? -I second that.

SEVERAL VOICES: -I second it. -I second that!

-Congrats Chris. -Thank you. I�m proud to be

the president for the second half of this fight.

I�m gonna nominate Derrick Palmer as the

external vice president.

-I�ll second. -I�ll second.

-I�ll second. DERRICK: Thank you guys.

CHRIS: No doubt. Well deserved, brother.

I�m gonna nominate

Madeline to be our treasurer.

-Hard second. -I second that. -Second.

-I second!

[laughter] -MADELINE: Thank you all.

[soft droning music]

[rattling and bustle]

A union is an outside group

that attempts to represent workers.

Unions typically work on the seniority system.

-Hi. -Can we talk outside?

-Um, sure.

-Come on.

[somber musical drone]

[ship horn]

[ship horn, hum of ship and traffic]

[hum of traffic] CHRIS: [on phone]

They fucked us over, yo. We have to withdraw

the petition.

You know how the fuck do we meet all the requirements

and exceed the cards,

and still get fucked over by the NLRB

because they decide to give Amazon whatever the

fuck they wanna do.

They�re saying 900 of the cards,

those people no longer work for the company.

They fired damn near half the people who signed

the cards.

It�s a bunch of bullshit. [indistinct clattering]

[roar of vehicles]

-My goodness. So this VTO, let�s see if they

got any.

[faint music thumps]

-None. -Hey Nat.

-I got none.

-Hi How are ya? -I�m good. How are you?

Actually not great, but� [laughs bitterly]

-Yeah. -Laura just sent me a text.

-Yeah. [crosstalk] That�s what I wanted

to call you about. -I didn�t know.

-Yeah. We just found out this morning.

-Hello comrades. [faint chatter]

I�m Justine. I�ve been at Amazon for almost

two months now. I�ve been doing community organizing for

over a decade now, and I believe that

organizing the working class is the most important thing

that we can be doing, and I�m in it

for the long haul and happy to be here.

CHRIS: Thank you, comrade. Alright everybody,

let�s get started.

I know there�s a lot of mixed emotions going on,

mixed feelings. I�m hearing all the rumors,

you know, especially with the withdrawal that�s happening.

Right now, we just have to focus on getting more

signatures to refile. And my hope is to do that

within the next week or two. Right now, we�re at

a little bit over a hundred-something cards.

Our goal is to hit about 600 before we file.

We already exhausted our budget and the fact that

we did withdraw, that is gonna create doubt

and workers are gonna lose hope the longer

we�re out the game.

We�re going to resubmit. That�s all we gotta keep

in our heads, is that we�re going to get to an election.

I know Justine has her hand up. Justine, go ahead.

-Thank you, comrade.

So something that I disagree with Comrade Chris on�

I don�t see this as a make-or-break

moment of we only have the next two to three weeks.

Right? So I think that that

is coming from a place of recognizing the weather

and being outside at night in cold, right?

But I think that that means that we need to change up

our tactics, right? [crosstalk]

CHRIS: Yeah, that�s not correct though.

JUSTINE: Chris, Chris, Chris, let me talk though, please.

I think that we need to hit a higher number, and I think

it�s ok that it takes longer than two to three weeks.

NAT: She needs to stay in her lane.

JUSTINE: �be ready to take� NAT: She�s trying to dominate

the meeting. It�s not ok. [Justine continues]

CHRIS: Justine, the reason why I�m saying two to three

week window is because we don�t want to wait

until after peak season,

when we know they�re gonna fire everybody

after peak season.

If we get them before peak season is over,

we have a better chance. But, Justine hasn�t

been here long enough to know that peak season,

that�s what they do. You gotta understand.

-No, I know that. [crosstalk] CHRIS: They hire us during-

-I�m aware of that. -And so, when it comes to the

bargaining unit, we can�t include seasonal workers.

We�re not planning to do that. So we have to file now

so that we don�t have to include seasonal workers.

And as far as the weather,

we�ve been dealing with Mother Nature from April,

and the weather being out here has nothing to do with

us staying out here. People that have been here

every single night with myself would not understand

what we�re going through. So it�s easy to say

we�re doing this, we�re doing that-

JUSTINE: I think that instead of saying, okay,

how do we beat this weather? I think we just have to

say this might take more than two to three weeks.

-Yeah, I agree with Justine and Jason.

-The meetings aren�t gonna

be going on until further notice, so.

-They are going to try to fire as many of our supporters

as humanly possible, which is why we can only give them

a week or two because they can�t do too much damage-

-�they don�t come our way. So I feel like we gotta

explain to people inside the building or put it in the

[voices overlap, becoming incoherent]

[overlapping voices continue, one of them is Justine]

[chaotic domineering chatter continues]

JUSTINE: it�s important that we don�t withdraw again.

[tense, discordant music]

[wind howls]

[strong wind blows, tent flaps]

[metal pole clangs]

[ominous, somber music]

[wind howls, plastic rustles and flaps]

CAMERA PERSON: Shit! Are you ok?

Do you need help? -Yeah, I�m alright.

Mother nature�s a little mad at us today.

That�s all.

Just a little bit of that good ol� Staten Island weather.

[poles clank]

-Hey Chris� [inaudible] [clattering]

CHRIS: We got everybody here.

Let�s get started.

Um�

People could say what they want.

People on the outside don�t know what�s going on.

The bottom line is, when we stay grounded,

when we stay together, there�s nothing that can stop

our momentum.

The only thing that�s gonna stop us is if we stop

ourselves.

So, this week is the most important week

of the campaign.

We�re gonna use a different strategy.

[bustle of commuters, vehicles]

[chatter]

-Have a good one.

How you doing everybody? Free pizza. Free food.

Free weed. That is a thing.

-See what I�m doing man? -You love us. Oh my god.

-I love y�all. I swear. You know how much this

shit cost, shit. -Listen, oh my God.

Pizza, weed, like

you can�t go wrong, man. I�m finally gonna

go home happy. [crosstalk]

This just made my day, a lot. [laughs]

-You know what we�re here for.

Tellin� people like my union cares.

I don�t give a fuck what Amazon told them.

-I was just telling them, they be giving us bootleg

Tylenol� [Chris laughs]

�like sugar pills. It doesn�t even say Tylenol.

It�s just a little tablet. I�m looking like,

�What is this?� You don�t even feel better.

CHRIS: I�m gonna hook you up, Imma give you a lot.

-Thank you Chris! -No problem, no problem.

-What�s going on? What y�all doing?

-You already know. Merry Christmas. Free weed

for Christmas man. -Oh word? Yeah.

-All we askin� y�all to spread the word. That�s it.

No, we don�t want nothing in return, just to

spread the word. We fighting for $30 an hour,

job security, to keep y�all cell phones and they gonna

take that shit away. [crosstalk] All of that.

-And you guys want to sign up? [busy chatter, music playing]

Or grab a slice of pizza? Please do so.

You don�t have to sign up, it�d be nice

if you did though. I work days, yeah.

I need that hour. We got free pizza, free soda

and free weed today. Please help yourselves.

[distant car honks]

[distant police siren]

[�International Players Anthem� by UGK on radio]

[cars honk in distance]

[hum of the city, birds sing and chirp]

You know what happened? You know what�s up?

Nigga we got the election! [whoops and cheers]

[exited crosstalk] -We got the election!

Bring your ass here now.

[joyous grunt] [chatter and squealing]

-We did it! [celebratory yelling]

-Bring it in! Bring it in! CROWD: [chanting] ALU!

ALU! ALU! ALU! ALU! ALU!�

Yeah!

[chants fade]

[faint wind]

-What�s your name? -Mitch.

-Mitch, I�m Jeannie. Nice to meet you.

MITCH: Nice to meet you. Yeah, I just wanted you guys

to know it is illegal to take down union

literature when it�s in a breakroom.

We are legally allowed to post it.

JEANNIE: We�re putting it right back, hear you go!

[crosstalk] Thank you so much! MITCH: Awesome.

[uneasy music]

[distant voices from inside the building]

CONNOR: Yeah. They put it right above the urinals

and they put �em on the inside of the stall doors.

See, the first thing they bring up is the dues.

That�s the thing they lean on.

You know what we could do actually?

What if we made a piece of paper that looked almost

the same as this, but it was like, know the facts,

union members make more, et cetera. We put that over it

and they probably won�t even notice.

When I�m in there. I�ll put �em all up.

-They out here hittin� us with almost hundred-year-old

techniques.

It�s actually hilarious. -Oh yeah.

You ain�t seen nothing yet. [laughs bitterly]

It�s just getting started.

Good morning y�all. -Good morning.

-Good morning. -Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.

What�s up brother?

Have a good one, man. Have a good one.

In the past we�ve been saying one percent

and now we�re talking� Cass, you were saying

two-fifty. Chris, you think $5 every other week?

-What they�re saying in the meeting is that

we�re not being transparent about the dues.

Just throw a number out there.

That�s it. Keep it moving. -When I explain it to people,

I say the dues, the proposal that the union�s going to

make that we all have to vote on is going to be something

along the lines of one percent.

That means if you make $500 on your check, $5 of that

goes to the union. And everyone gets that

when I explain it, there�s no confusion.

The feedback that I�ve been getting is they want a number,

like that percentage shit, they don�t got time to

figure that out. -It�s just about

the way information is being received.

They don�t calculate one percent when they

say that, you know.

They wanna see a number. MADELINE: What happens if we

do happen to win people a really good contract?

We get them $30 an hour and we�re only making $2.50

per person? CHRIS: I know that,

but I�m just saying I don�t think that $2.50 is

a bad start. -I think it�s easy also

to put it in terms of, I always say one percent,

which is $6 a week and union members on average make

11 percent more. So if you even got an average

pay raise, you�d be ten percent better off.

And I think when you put it in terms like that it�s

really easy for people to see the benefits.

CHRIS: That�s wordy, bro. You gotta understand,

that�s wordy. -I feel like Amazon is just

gonna use that against us. CHRIS: Naw, they�re gonna do

it anyway, �cause what they�re telling workers

is that, �These union dues is going into my pockets

to make me rich.� And I don�t want that happening.

[background chatter]

Hello, how are you? Is that Mr. Adefone?

How you doing?

Good. My name is Brima Sylla. I work for Amazon

and also I�m a volunteer for the Amazon Labor Union.

-Right, yeah. We have the similar thing with the UPT

where it�s like if we�re six minutes late,

they take an hour of our UPT and then if we

put in time, then we still have to go to HR and try to

fight to get the hour back. -Really? [cross chatter]

Oh wow. Well actually I�m his mom. I�m helping.

Yes, you�re speaking to his ma.

We�re trying to contact every worker individually,

whether that�s by call or by door or in the break rooms.

And so I�m trying to phone bank 8,000 workers

by the end of the week. -I�m just calling to answer

any questions you have in regards to us and if

you�re planning on voting, �Yes� for the union.

[chatter and laughter in the background]

Oh, you don�t work here anymore? I�m so sorry.

Well, have a great day.

[ANGIE] My mom�s a nurse. So when I told her

we were fighting for $30,

she was like, �You guys think you guys deserve $30 an hour?�

But what changed her mind was, she was telling my grandmother

about what I was doing and my grandmother was like,

�Yeah, your aunt, she works making up beds in the hotel

and she makes $30 an hour doing that.�

And my mom was like, �What?� Mom was like,

�She almost makes how much I make� [laughs]

making up beds at a hotel?� And my grandmother�s like,

�Yeah, because she�s in the union.�

And I think that also changed her heart, but

I think with me is that, because although I�m

very to myself, whatever I think about,

I�m very strong willed at, so I think what really got her

was that when she was trying to tell me

I didn�t deserve it, I was telling her how much

I deserved it and everyone else in the warehouse

deserved it, and so I think she liked that.

-We�re asking you to vote yes.

Vote yes for job security. Vote yes for your friends.

Vote for who are fired.

Vote to scrap the system that writes you up.

All these things are possible.

You make Amazon $638 million a day.

It�s time we get paid our fair share.

And I believe that on March 30th, 2022,

we all together will be on the right side of history.

[trap music plays in background of video]

-Nice. -Thanks.

You should send the link to the Latinos for Amazon.

-In the group chat? -Yeah.

Okay.

AMAZON REPRESENTATIVE: [talking to workers]

[door slams open] DERRICK: What up?

-Alright crew. -Right? [starts chant]

? Everywhere we go ? GROUP: ? Everywhere we go ?

-? People wanna know ? GROUP: ? People wanna know ?

[quiet chatter]

-? who we are ? GROUP: ? who we are ?

[crosstalk] -? so we tell them ?

[crosstalk]

[crosstalk]

[laughter and applause]

[raucous laughter and chatter]

[lively chatter]

VOICE ON PHONE SCREEN: If any of y�all have questions

we�re happy to answer them. -Somebody said

�all meetings were canceled after ALU organizers got in.

My meeting was now and it was canceled as were

the rest of them for today.� -Another worker was tellin�

us the same thing, that they got the text that it was

canceled and they were like, �That�s y�all�s doing.�

CHRIS: They said people heard about y�all walking in there-

-They can threaten us all they want.

We�re not leaving.

[low instrumental hum]

[rowdy whoops and cheers, chatter, car horns honk]

[crates rattle faintly]

[machinery whirs, rattles, and beeps]

[music drones and rattles]

[ship horn]

[ship horn]

-When did this happen?

-So all of these write-ups are very close to date.

For you it was last week -Yeah.

-Justine, last week.

-And yours� -Last night. -was last night. -Yeah.

-Two managers came. The first one couldn�t get me.

She tried, she said, �Come down with me to HR.�

I said, �I want a representative. I want

Brett Daniels.� She got frustrated, she left,

she came back later. She spilled her message

verbally and I said, �I want Brett Daniels,

I need a representative.� But anyway, she went on,

she said, �This is not a write-up but this is a

verbal warning.� She said, �Don�t go to

the meetings uninvited.� I�m like, �Okay.�

They didn�t stop there. Another operation manager

came and then she showed me her computer. She�s like,

�You had low performance last week. This is a write-up

by the system.� -Wow.

-Wait, wait, wait, wait. So they wrote you up for

productivity? [crosstalk] -Yes, poor performance.

-For me personally, I don�t know whether I�m right

or wrong, but I think a little bit suspicious.

Is it because

they want to send a message? -Yes. [crosstalk]

-I�m like, �Candace, why do I get the impression

that you�re targeting

ALU organizers? Does this have something to do with

the election?�

Yeah, and that�s why I�m like, �Angie, girl, you next.�

Because they have their list. I already know that.

They have a list.

CHRIS: So they�re targeting y�all. They�re gonna give

all y�all write-ups. They did Karen yesterday.

Y�all gonna get one eventually.

And now people gonna look at y�all and be like,

�Well, they got written up. I�m not trying to get involved.�

-Mm hm. -So we don�t wanna mention

nothing about it to other workers, but just

file our lawsuits and be prepared that they�re

gonna give y�all write-ups. Let�s just continue doin�

what the hell we doin�. You know, we just gotta

survive the next 18 days.

[bus idles]

[breaks squeak]

They raised the minimum wage to $15 back in 2018.

But they took away our stocks, they took away our

monthly bonuses in return.

What�s up man? -I�m gonna have to ask anyone

who is not an Amazon employee to please leave the property.

-You already know we ain�t going nowhere man.

Do what you gotta do. You know what�s up already.

-Chris, man, please, we respect your right

to do this� -Right -but please.

-So do what you got to do. I�m not goin� anywhere.

Call the cops. I�ll leave when I feel like leaving.

[barely audible] I�m doin� a interview right now.

Excuse me. -[inaudible] get off property.

-I will when I feel like it, but right now I�m doing it

right here. [inaudible]

-Can you explain what happened real quick?

-That�s the dude that fired me two years ago, you know,

it�s him right there. He know me.

They could do what they gotta do and Imma do what

we gotta do. That�s what we got lawyers for.

I ain�t worried about them and they wanna call the cops,

call the cops. [police siren]

[car doors slam] [faint chatter]

CHRIS: God damn. All these wasted tax dollars, yo.

-Hey Chris. Like I said, man, I�m gonna ask you and anyone

who�s not an Amazon employee has to

leave the premise please.

Anyone who is an Amazon employee, I�m not

speaking to you. You guys are free to stay.

-Okay? But are we in a parking lot that says,

�Visitor,� right?

-You�re currently trespassing on Amazon property.

If you are not an Amazon associate, so anyone here-

-You didn�t answer the question though.

That sign over there says, �Visitor� Right?

I�m a visitor. -With who?

What are you doing? -I�m visiting with him.

They work here. -How long have you been here?

-A few minutes.

-So you�re refusing to leave? -No. I said Imma leave when

he leaves. -Are you refusing to leave?

-I said, �No, I�m gonna leave when he leaves.�

-Are you leaving? Yes or no? Yeah. I said yeah.

-If you�re not leaving within the next two minutes

you�re gonna be arrested.

-Y�all not enforcing no law. Y�all just

wasting y�all time. -You have 30 seconds

or you gettin� arrested. -Imma get arrested?

[incredulous] How am I gonna get arrested? For what?

For what [crosstalk] you wanna arrest me for what?

[organizers argue with cops] -Right now you�re obstructing

police business, right now, back up. -No we�re not.

-You put hands on me! He�s putting hands on me.

[yelling] -He�s a worker!

He works here! [yelling, crosstalk]

-What are you- -Back off!

Back off. Back off.

-Get your hands off of him.

JASON: [in distress] Let me go! Let me go!

-What are you doing? -Hold on. Hold on, man. Stop.

Stop, stop. Stop, stop, stop. -Get your hands off of him.

CHRIS: He�s a worker! EMPLOYEE: He�s going outside.

-Check to see what�s goin on! -Yeah. [badge reader beeps]

[doors clank]

JASON: They�re hurting my wrist!

[yelling]

-Jason is a worker!

Jason is allowed to be here!

[yelling] -I got it, I got it, hold on.

-You�re gonna back up. [inaudible] I understand!

You�re not gonna interfere. [droning dissonant music]

-If we can touch you, it�s gonna be a problem I told you-

-Get in the car! You�re resisting arrest!

[music swells to a stop]

[distant police siren]

[chatter]

-I�m tryin� to send them my ID.

Well, how are we gonna get �em outta here?

Do we have any money?

-No. We�ll figure it out. -We don�t even know the bond!

-We got some money but we can�t really spend it

right now.

VOICES ON VIDEO: -Why are you arresting them?

[yelling]

-Why are you arresting them?

We�re workers here! Why are you arresting us?

[light switch clicks]

[text message alerts]

[subway door alert]

[screech of nearby train]

[train rumbles and clanks]

JASON: [on call] No Chris, this is serious!

[upset and yelling] You saw me, how I was on Saturday.

CHRIS: How was you on Saturday?

-I was very exhausted- CHRIS: Jason!

-My whole body was hurting like hell-

CHRIS: Jason. -and you guys wanted me to stay here-

CHRIS: Jason.

You talkin� to people that worked at Amazon for years.

Especially me. I was a picker. I know exactly what you�re

going through. Why are you acting like-

-[irate] So tell that to Connor!

-Tell that to� Connor worked at Amazon for three years.

I think he knows what- -But Connor does not pick!

-It doesn�t matter [crosstalk]

-It�s all the same in the struggle.

CHRIS: Jason, everybody�s body is hurtin�� [crosstalk]

-What�s going on? [argument continues in background]

He feels like not being at Amazon because it�s

a lot of pressure and he feels like he�s not being heard.

-What does he mean? He�s not being heard.

-Well he�s not [inaudible] CHRIS: We all understand what

you goin� through, but this is what we signed

up for. I feel your pain brother,

but we not ignoring that- JASON: Chris!

-It�s just that, gettin� on each other about

who worked harder. It doesn�t matter.

JASON: But I�m about to give up, seriously.

-Jason, this is the long haul, right? This is the marathon.

We know that. What do you- JASON: I�m about to give up!

Seriously! -Give up on what?

What are you giving up on?

-On everything! -Why?

I tell you this all the time.

Whenever you goin� through shit, call one of us.

But getting on your comrades right now is not the way

we gonna be doing this. Who cares about who work

in what department? -I�m so frustrated, Chris!

[somber music]

But�

we�ll figure that out. That�s nothing.

We�re suppose to start at 8:45�

[crosstalk and laughter]

JASON: Maddie, we canceled the meeting. [crosstalk]

-Why? [crosstalk]

Actually, I called the meeting for nine o�clock.

[crosstalk] -Yeah, but we all said 8:45

because Cassio� [crosstalk] -Cassio was on break.

-You can�t just cancel the full meeting just

because we�re late.

-Cassio was on break. -Well he can and we did.

-I�m the one who called the meeting.

-And they only gave 15 minutes. [crosstalk]

CHRIS: Forget about the meeting.

If we say something, we got to do it.

We can�t just like, alright, we gonna show up

late and then- -I mean Chris Smalls, you�re

gonna lecture us about being late to things?

[crosstalk] Seriously? -You want to lecture me, bro-

-I�m not lecturing anybody. I just feel like that�s�

-Hold on hold on hold on. Let me tell you something bro.

Don�t do that because you been in Mexico.

Don�t do that. Number one. I could be late.

I could be late. I could be late because

I sacrifice my time all the time. Trust me.

-Oh, I didn�t? I haven�t? -Wait, but I started

way before you. Don�t disrespect me.

You understand me? You understand.

Don�t disrespect me. -You�re yelling at us.

-I�m not yelling at� -I feel like I�m being yelled

at by my father right now. -Maddie, listen.

I�m not your father. I don�t want to be.

I have my own kids. Listen� -I don�t understand why this

turned into a screaming thing. -It�s not a screaming thing.

It�s one person talking right now

and the floor will be yours too.

We�re family. We�re family we�re gonna argue and fight.

But y�all gonna listen to what�

-You can�t yell at us for being fifteen minutes late.

[arguing] -I�m fucking tired.

-Everyone�s so sensitive, but when everyone doesn�t see

each other, like it�s not a problem, just listen.

CHRIS: It�s not a problem. It�s not a big deal.

-This ain�t a productive conversation!

-It is a productive conversation. [arguing]

[faint traffic and sirens outside]

[quiet, somber music]

I�d rather� [background chatter]

a real union come in, eleven ninety nine (1199),

Teamsters, Local 79, someone that been around.

This is a new union. Nobody knows what this man�s

gonna do with this money.

Even if you charge $5 a person,

who�s to say he�s gonna actually stay

on the up and up?

REPORTER: And that employee was talking about the head

of the Amazon Labor Union, a former employee,

Chris Smalls. The Amazon Labor Union hasn�t

really received that much support from normal

institutional players like RWDSU or 1199.

[muffled music in bar]

-How are you doing? -I�m good. How are you?

-Good to see you. -It�s so nice to see you.

How are you doing? NAT: I was so emotional.

I wasn�t responding to anybody for a few days.

[music thumps] It was just a lot to take in.

MADDIE: Yeah. -It�s really disappointing

to have to give up after a year of

putting your heart and soul into something.

-Why do you feel like you had to give up?

-I wanted to be a part of other organizations that

actually appreciated what I could bring to the table,

instead of constantly feeling like I was being fought with

every single day, or ignored, or dismissed,

or disrespected. I can�t leave one boy�s club

at Amazon and work for another boy�s club

in the Union. I can�t do it.

Chris is gonna do whatever he wants to do, period.

-It�s not true. There are other people

on the executive board and in the workers� committee

who are gonna hold him accountable.

Over 50% in JFK8 do not have faith

in the people that you have faith in.

What I hope happens is that everybody votes no,

enough people, so that a national established

experienced union can come in� -They�re not coming.

[crosstalk] -with the resources.

They�re coming. They�re waiting, they�re itching for this.

-Nat. -Maddie. -The Teamsters have withdrawn

their petition in Canada twice. In Canada. -That�s in Canada.

That�s not in the US. -Yeah, it�s easier in Canada.

-They�ve already announced that they�re gonna do this in the US.

-They haven�t been able to do it.

-The reps have been coming by for the past year�

-The Teamsters are not coming.

-And the Retail Wholesale Department Store Union?

-They�re not coming. [crosstalk] They�re gonna lose

in Alabama, probably. -They�ve been coming, Maddie.

[crosstalk] -And the Teamsters aren�t coming either.

This is our shot. This is our shot to make things better.

-I don�t want to be in the union. I shouldn�t have to pay

for the union. The Supreme Court

sided with them- [crosstalk]

-You believe in right to work laws?

-Maddie.

-I care about this.

-I know you do. That�s what makes this whole situation

even more sad. -I can�t imagine doing

anything else.

[nearby chatter and laughter]

[bustle of trucks and traffic]

[soft music]

CHRIS: How was your day?

-They got me fucked up. [Chris laughs]

CHRIS: That�s every day. -They�re gonna make me

fail school. -Yo, don�t do that.

-The wall was so packed, I did like a 400, bro.

-Ay shit.

-Bro, they just don�t fucking care, man.

-We gotta fly. I gotta go get my kid.

-Alright.

[indecipherable chatter]

I got that. -I�m doing interviews�

[chatter]

[crosstalk] -Momma. -Alright.

-Say �A-L-U.�

[child speaks into megaphone] A-L-U.

-ALU!

-ALU. -Woo! You did it!

-Hello, join us for some lunch during break time.

Free lunch during break time.

African rice tonight during break time.

REPORTER: Starting today, 8,000 Amazon warehouse workers

on Staten Island will begin voting on whether they want to

form a union. The Amazon Labor Union

is campaigning for higher pay and layoff protections

and longer lunch breaks. Amazon employee,

Raphael Loriano says he�s voting yes because the current

30 minute lunch break is barely enough time for him to

make his way across campus to the cafeteria.

WORKER: We have long hours. We�re here 10 to 12 hours

a day, on our feet all day.

Short breaks.

Shorter than I�ve seen any other company

with this much hours.

REPORTER: Voting will be tallied in the following days.

[slightly suspenseful, melodic music]

If your last name begins with A through N,

step to the south side.

REPORTER: They haven�t really received a lot of

support from these established unions,

and they are a group of former and current employees

that have basically tried this grassroots effort

to create the union here. And we spoke with the head

of the union, Chris Smalls, a former employee,

just a short time ago about their efforts and how

confident he is going into today�s vote. Take a listen.

Three two.

Three two one.

REPORTER: We met a lot of people who are voting no,

actually.

-Yeah. No, we�re not gonna have everybody on our side,

but you know,

as long as we have the majority. There�s gonna be

some vote no�s. There�s gonna be some vote yeses, but

we�ll see what happens at the end of the election.

[faint chatter]

-I was in the ALU. I am voting no,

and I would prefer that a more established, experienced

national union would come in,

because, with a Goliath like Amazon,

they have all the money and the resources in the world.

We need a strong established national union.

REPORTER: Thank you very much, Natalie.

-Great. Thank you very much. -Have a good shift.

-You too. Thank you.

[lively chatter]

-It�s like they think that we�re, excuse my language,

we�re fucking robots.

You know�

They expect you to do 200, then after that,

when you make 200 they want you to do another three,

and then they want you to do another four.

-And I voted yesterday. So I try to [nearby chatter]

take my boss�s�

concerns into consideration, [chuckles]

but also I have to listen to the ALU also.

They mean to help employees, -Yeah.

workers. But so does the employer,

so it�s not always easy to

to take sides. -I�m gonna always stand

on the side of the people. If the majority of the people

in here stand that way, then, you know,

that�s the way I�ll stand. That�s why I said I wanted to

wait til the last stage just to kind of feel out

where I feel like the people are you know,

advocating for it.

[chatter]

[anticipatory music]

[chatter]

Three, four,

five, six,

seven, eight,

nine, thirty,

thirty-one, thirty-two.

-Actually the two on the right, I never met.

That tall guy was in the tent, but I don�t know

his name. [counting in background]

But in terms of NLRB, Amazon, and ALU,

they�re all NLRB representatives.

-They�re all NLRB counters. -Who�s watching it?

-I think in the room is Chris, Gerald, Jay,

Jason,

the lawyer. And then I don�t know who�s there on

Amazon�s side.

-They need to understand, my heart can�t take this.

[chatter] [somber drone]

[emergency vehicle siren]

[chatter]

-So, five hundred�

twenty three.

REPORTER: There�s a group of current and former

employees that are organizing. It�s a grassroots effort.

It�s not affiliated with any national union,

so it�s very atypical in that sense as well.

[chatter]

-The last count was

2203 to 1750,

only a couple a hundred left.

-Holy shit!

-Oh my God! -It literally doubled.

-What happened? -Yeah, bro.

-Thirty-four� six.

[excited crosstalk, laughter]

-No! We got CNN. We got the article from CNN already.

-Yo Connor, did you see the New York Times headline?

-No. MADDIE: It�s so good.

Who the fuck is calling me? Please stop.

[laughs]

Amazon workers voted to unionize in a massive

New York powerhouse in one of the biggest wins in organized

labor in a generation. [excited crosstalk]

[celebratory chatter]

Union strong baby! [cheering and hollering]

[whooping] Let�s go!

Union strong! [cheering]

Union strong baby!

[cheering, whooping]

-It�s all you, my guy!

[excited chatter, camera shudders click]

It�s over!

-Yeah, I� This moment�

Damn. [camera shudders click]

Man, I ain�t gonna cry right now but�

[chuckles] -That�s ok.

CHRIS: You know, I spent the last eleven months.

The folks behind me spent the last eleven months

as well inside, outside the building,

at the bus stop earning the trust of these workers,

building relationships. We did whatever it took

to connect with those workers, to make their daily lives

just a little bit easier, a little bit less-

VOICE ON PHONE: I mean this is a humongous task.

Every problem at JFK8 is ours.

You know? -Yeah.

-I mean, sorry to be a party-pooper, but this is-

-Nah, you�re right, I don�t give a shit.

-This is a huge, huge� The eyes of the world are

looking at you right now.

CHRIS: We�re gonna be phone banking, we�re gonna

be organizing LDJ5 workers, making sure they�re

committed to vote. -[reporter, inaudible]

Oh, we want to thank Jeff Bezos for going to

space �cause when he was up there we was signing

people up. [laughing, crosstalk]

[crosstalk, cheering]

He was buyin�. Buying in, buying in.

They paid how much money? He was in there $4.5 million

consulting lawyers and firms. The same lawyers I

just shook hands while we kick they ass.

[cheers, applause] Thank you all. Appreciate it!

-Holla! [raucous cheering]

ALU!

ALU! ALU! ALU! ALU!�

[joyous chatter]

[soft musical drone, under faint party music in room]

[celebratory chatter]

[faint cheering and clapping]

[indistinct whir]

[chimes ring] [whir of cargo ship]

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Further,

Amazon cannot even come to grips with the reality

that the workers in Staten Island

won their union election fair and square.

Their strategy is obvious.

They�re gonna stall and stall and stall.

Senator Graham.

SEN. GRAHAM: Wow. [chuckles] You can have oversight

hearings all you like, but you�ve determined Amazon is a

piece of crap company.

That�s your political bias. Thank you.

CHRIS: Well, first of all, I�m gonna address Mr. Graham.

You forgot that the people are the ones that make these

corporations go. It�s not the other way around.

And I think that it�s in your best interest

to realize that you should listen because we do

represent your constituents as well.

And we are the ones that are suffering

in the corporations that you�re talking about.

I�m gonna let you know right now that,

on behalf of the Amazon Labor Union

and the hundreds of thousands of workers

across this country, that we will

continue to organize.

This is not a left or right thing.

This is a working class issue.

And the workers at the bottom are the ones who

make these corporations go.

JASON: Everybody stand by for the final count!

It is 381 yes.

618 no�s.

I repeat 381 yes.

618 no�s.

-I know we really put on a hopeful face the

last week, and really trying push that positive message.

And at the end of the day,

I think a lot of us expected this.

-This is a loss of a small battle in a

very, very long war. -That�s right.

-It was a miracle that we won JFK8.

It�s a miracle that we got as far as we did in LDJ5.

We can spin this to be�

-It�s not a miracle that we won in JFK8.

-We don�t say miracle. That�s not the message.

-Let�s not do that. -It was a historic feat,

but it was not a miracle. -Yeah. [crosstalk]

It was a consequence of a lot of work.

-I see what you�re saying.

-We�re still gonna take our campaign

throughout the country, and we�ll be fine.

I promise that. Guaranteed.

[soft hopeful music]

-But wait, wait, wait. Chris, just hear me out.

Hear me out, my guy. Because I came here to have

a meeting instead of a argument, is how can we

make the process with this better and stronger?

How can we learn from

what we lost,

and to ensure? That�s where I�m coming from, man.

I�m about ALU right now. This isn�t about personal

issues, my guy. -People just want to do things

differently, and they want a chance to vote on

how we execute that strategy. It affects the union.

Losing at these buildings, it affects,

number one, our organizing in JFK8 and it just affects

the life of the union. CHRIS: [remotely] So let me

stop you right there Connor. Alright, so

the ones that feel that way, who are you?

GROUP IN ROOM: -Everybody. -Everyone.

[heated arguing] -That�s not democratic.

-What do you mean? A majority of organizers decided that

we need to go talk to them. [crosstalk, yelling]

That is a democratic decision.

-There�s only three people making decisions in here.

-That�s not true. -[yells] One, two, and three.

-That�s not true. -You guys don�t have a clue of

what y�all talking about. So just stop with the BS.

[crosstalk] -Wait, listen.

Y�all don�t have time for this. [someone scoffs]

Okay, it�s bigger than you just in the room.

Before you know it, it�s gonna be time for that

contract negotiation. Right? It�s gonna be time for the

contract negotiation, and if you�re not ready, you lose.

[somber drone]

[hopeful melodic music]

-I felt that something else needed to be changed

once I got my first write-up.

You have this young manager coming up to you,

don�t even know your department, and giving my

friends write-ups and telling them you�re T-O-T,

you don�t have rate. And my friends are practically

crying when the manager walks away because they work their

asses off, and yet, they�re getting punished constantly

for working hard just because there�s this algorithm

we have to listen to that�s deciding if we�re

fucking hard workers.

It was just so wrong. I said, something needs to

be changed. And that�s when I got my friends together

at my house one day and I said, �let�s try to unionize

because that�s the only way we�re gonna get them

to listen to us. That�s where our power�s

gonna come from, unionizing.�

[sustained somber chords]

[nearby traffic hums]

[chatter]

They don�t want us to have that power.

That�s what it�s about. Those classes-

Here take this one too. Yeah, you�re welcome.

They don�t want us to have that power�

[voices fade out]

[discordant music]

[blues guitar riff]

[�We Made It� by Cedric Burnside]

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