Shop Floor Organizing at Amazon w/ Amazonians United Chicagoland

Ruby and Zama, members of Amazonians United, join the show to discuss their methods of shop floor organizing and direct unionism.

They share stories of how AU emerged, initially through breaking bread and resocializing the workplace, to their first direct action demanding access to water in the shop.

We also discussed the dismissal of AU by proponents of business unionism, and offer a critique of conventional labor union practices.

Learn more about AU at https://www.amazoniansunited.org/

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Music:

Ty Segall- Love Fuzz

Amazon Capitalism & Organizing the Giant w/ Jake Alimahomed-Wilson & Ellen Reese

Support Laborwave Radio at patreon.com/laborwave

Jake Alimahomed-Wilson and Ellen Reese are the editors of The Cost of Free Shipping: Amazon in the Global Economy published by Pluto Press. Order a copy at https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745341484/the-cost-of-free-shipping/

With cutting-edge analysis, this book looks at the many facets of the corporation, including automation, surveillance, tech work, workers' struggle, algorithmic challenges, the disruption of local democracy and much more.

Mentioned in the talk is a panel event with the editors from November, when this episode was recorded, you've missed that discussion but you can watch the video of it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYeH0jLmHFM

Join the fight against Amazon by connecting with Amazonians United at www.amazoniansunited.org/ and read an interview with the workers at www.plutobooks.com/blog/amazon-man…through-stress/

Learn more about forms of solidarity work from this piece at Jacobin, Amazon Workers Desperately Need an Insurgent Union Campaign jacobinmag.com/2020/04/amazon-wo…union-coronavirus

Music: Fresh and Onlys- I'm a Thief