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Two trade union bodies representing commerce sector workers in New York, the Teamsters and the RWDSU (Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union) are ‘calling out’ Amazon and its future headquarters that is set to open in the NY district of the Queens. The unions have delivered a letter to the NY Mayor, Bill de Blasio, and to the NY State Governor, Andrew Cuomo asking them to seek additional social guarantees in exchange for the $3 billion promised to Amazon in aid and tax relief. The giant online retailer will have to create 25,000 jobs in New York over the next ten years, however in their letter, the unions argue that ‘the growth of Amazon and its ranks of badly paid staff pose a direct threat to New York employees working in the commerce sector and major retailers.’ For its part, Amazon has consistently refused to recognize any worker organization in its warehouse network and has a bad reputation with labor militants. New York’s political representatives are being called on for a degree of perspective. “You can’t say that you are pro-union and ‘in favor of’ progress if you accept, or just ignore how Amazon conducts its relationship with the trade unions,” stated Stuart Appelbaum, president of the RWDSU. “No union, then no agreement,” declared the Teamsters and RWDSU leaders. For the moment Amazon has asked both those building the new headquarters and its future cleaning company to open their doors to the unions, but nothing more…
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