In a historic victory, Amazon workers in Staten Island won the first U.S. Amazon union. Here are the federal officials who celebrated the successful efforts of Amazon Labor Union organizers and workers at the JFK8 who overcame extreme union-busting by the powerful, multi-billion dollar corporation.
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Biden administration
| President Joe Biden | By the way, Amazon, here we come… That’s why I’ve called on Congress to finally pass the PRO Act and send it to my desk. |
| Press Secretary Jen Psaki | The president was glad to see workers ensure their voices are heard with respect to important workplace decisions. He believes firmly that every worker in every state must have a free and fair choice to join a union and the right to bargain collectively with their employer. The Amazon workers in Staten Island made their choice to organize a grassroots union and bargain for better jobs and a better life. |
| Secretary Marty Walsh | Congratulations to Amazon workers on Staten Island for voting to form a union with the Amazon Labor Union. This is historic, and will result in more workers getting a seat at the table to advocate for the conditions they want to see in their workplace. |
U.S. Senate
| Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) | Amazing job by the worker-led @AmazonLabor in Staten Island. Congrats on the historic victory! And good luck as you move forward to contract. |
| Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) | Huge congrats to @amazonlabor and all of the workers at Amazon’s Staten Island fulfillment center for becoming the first Amazon facility in the country to vote to unionize! When unions win, working families win, and your victory will blaze a trail for workers across the country! |
| Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) | Something special is happening in America right now. Working people are standing up, organizing together, and winning. Congratulations to @amazonlabor for your tremendous victory in Staten Island. This is a historic moment for our country’s labor movement. |
| Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) | Congratulations to @amazonlabor in Staten Island for their historic organizing victory. They took on one of the most powerful corporations in America, and showed that workers are sick and tired of being exploited while corporate profits soar. |
| Sen. Patty Murray (D) | Congratulations, @amazonlabor, on this historic moment! Every single worker who wants to should be able to join and form a union, and I’ll keep fighting to protect and strengthen the right to organize. |
| Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) | This will be a victory for workers heard around the world. Amazon workers were up against one of the most powerful corporations in history, that used every union-busting tactic in the book—and they won. We are finally empowering workers again. Congratulations, @AmazonLabor. |
| Sen. Alex Padilla (D) | This @amazonlabor victory in Staten Island is a momentous win for the labor movement. I wholeheartedly support Amazon workers everywhere in their right to unionize and seek to secure better wages, benefits and workplace environment. |
| Sen. Ed Markey (D) | Congratulations to the workers at the Staten Island Amazon warehouse on your historic, earth-shaking unionization effort. You have shown the world that there is nothing more powerful than working people standing together in solidarity. |
| Sen. Michael Bennet (D) | This is an important step for Amazon workers. Amazon’s profits soared during the pandemic and its workers should be cut in on the deal. Everyone deserves safe working conditions and fair compensation, especially our essential workers. |
| Sen. Ron Wyden (D) | Workers deserve the right to freely organize without fear of union-busting tactics like surveillance and intimidation from companies. Kudos to the workers at Amazon for this well-deserved victory in the battle to strengthen labor rights nationwide. #UnionStrong |
| Sen. Jeff Merkley (D) | This is HUGE. Congratulations to the Amazon workers who overcame Amazon’s serious union-busting tactics to unionize and advocate for fair wages and working conditions! We need to make it easier for everyone to organize at work—we must pass the #PROAct! |
| Sen. Cory Booker (D) | Congratulations to Amazon Labor Union. This is a remarkable win. I stand with workers everywhere who are fighting for improved conditions and a fair way. |
| Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D) | As the proud daughter of a union member, I know how important unions are to so many hardworking families. @amazonlabor’s efforts are a win for Amazon employees and for workers across the country who will draw inspiration from this monumental victory. |
U.S. House of Representatives
| Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) | Nearly half of Americans would join a union if given an opportunity. Workers are discovering the profound power of solidarity, from construction workers to brave Amazon employees. That is why the @HouseDemocrats twice passed the Richard L. Trumka PRO Act. |
| Rep. Shontel Brown (D) | Glad to see @Amazon workers in New York have voted to become the first warehouse to unionize. When unions win, workers win—and America wins. #UnionStrong |
| Rep. Chuy Garcia (D) | When unions fight, workers win. I’m encouraged to see @Amazon warehouse workers vote to formally unionize. I stand with you in solidarity. #UnionStrong #1u |
| Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D) | ?????? |
| Rep. Ilhan Omar (D) | Such a momentous occasion calls for Pete Seeger. ?SOLIDARITY FOREVER? ?SOLIDARITY FOREVER? ?SOLIDARITY FOREVER? ?FOR THE UNION MAKES US STRONG!!!! ? |
| Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D) | Proud to have stood with these workers throughout their fight to unionize. This huge victory in New York may be the first Amazon warehouse union but certainly won’t be the last. |
| Rep. Lori Trahan (D) | Huge congrats to these Staten Island Amazon workers for voting to unionize! As the daughter of a union ironworker, I know firsthand just how much union benefits & protections support working families everywhere. #UnionStrong |
| Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D) | Congratulations to the powerful @amazonlabor workers! After Amazon spent enormous amounts of time and money union-busting and calling the cops on their workers, these incredible workers will have a union. Power and love to you all ?? |
| Rep. Tim Ryan (D) | History made. Congrats to @AmazonLabor on winning your union, here’s to the first of many victories ✊ |
| Rep. Andy Levin (D) | This is a historic day for the American working class and for the labor movement. The first union was formed at our nation’s second-largest private employer. Despite @Amazon’s union busting efforts, they were no match for workers determined to stick together and fight. |
| Rep. Barbara Lee (D) | Such a huge & historic win for the labor movement. Anti-worker attacks by huge corporations like Amazon have driven union membership to an all-time low. Proud of these workers for fighting to exercise their right to organize, and I hope more follow. |
| Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D) | .@amazonlabor workers in Staten Island just changed the game for workers nationwide. When workers organize, workers win. I’m so proud of the organizers who made this happen—thank you for your work to build a better future for workers nationwide! #UnionStrong |
| Rep. Peter Welch (D) | Everyone deserves a voice in the workplace, safe working conditions, and fair benefits. Congratulations to @amazonlabor for their victory today. We must pass the PRO Act to protect all workers’ right to organize a union. |
| Rep. Tom Suozzi (D) | HUGE win for the hardworking employees at @amazonlabor. Despite the best efforts of @GovKathyHochul’s top campaign strategist, you overcame his and Amazon’s efforts to thwart all of you. |
| Rep. Susan Wild (D) | Unions keep Pennsylvania strong. I’m happy to see Amazon workers in New York are keeping up the momentum! |
| Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D) | Congratulations to the warehouse workers and organizers on this historic titanic victory to form a union against all odds #unionstrong #solidarity |
| Rep. David Cicilline (D) | A huge win for Amazon workers today in New York. The union should never have faced the interference it did from Amazon. By reining in Big Tech, we will empower both workers and consumers – ensuring the better workplaces and protections these employees deserve. |
| Rep. Sean Casten (D) | When workers stick together, they win. This is a historic moment for @AmazonLabor and workers across the country organizing for better wages, safer conditions, and dignity on the job. Now, it’s time to pass the #ProAct. #1u |
| Rep. Jerry Nadler (D) | Congrats to the Amazon workers in Staten Island who today made history by voting to form the first union @amazon. |
| Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D) | This is such great news! Every worker deserves a union. Congratulations to all the workers who organized and earned this victory. |
| Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) | Incredible news for workers and our country. @amazonlabor defeated @amazon’s relentless union-busting and just won the first inside Amazon union in the country! This is just the beginning. A revolution is coming to Amazon and there’s nothing @JeffBezos can do to stop it. |
| Rep. Brian Higgins (D) | When unions win, workers win. #UnionStrong |
| Rep. Grace Meng (D) | New York is #UnionStrong ? Congratulations to @amazonlabor! What an incredible win for working people in New York and across the country. |
| Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D) | Great news! #UnionsForAll #UnionStrong |
| Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D) | Congratulations on this HISTORIC victory! When workers stand together, we win. #unionstrong |
| Rep. Brendan Boyle (D) | Congrats to these workers! This is a historic win for working men and women. Unions helped build our middle class and are still needed today. |
| Rep. Donald Payne (D) | Congratulations to Chris Smalls! The Newark resident just created the first union at an Amazon workplace in American history after his firing 2 years ago for protesting poor safety precautions. Again, I congratulate Chris and everyone who helped his efforts! |
| Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D) | Congrats to the Amazon warehouse workers on Staten Island! Today’s historic victory is a win for workers everywhere. Every American deserves the ability to join a union if they want to. |
| Rep. Ro Khanna (D) | Congratulations and solidarity with the NYC Amazons workers who just unionized. I hope Jeff Bezos can find the time between space flights to engage with them in good faith. |
| Rep. Karen Bass (D) | Congratulations to @amazonlabor , who made history by successfully organizing a union at Amazon. This will undoubtedly go down as one of the great victories of the modern labor movement. |
| Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) | What we’re seeing is an reinvigoration of the labor movement. Some new names, new faces, same commitment to solidarity. Congratulations @amazonlabor and @SBWorkersUnited ! The energy is contagious. |
| Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D) | Organized power is REALIZED power. This is a historic victory — & a credit to the grit & determination of the Amazon employees on Staten Island & around the country, advocating for worker’s rights & paving the way for a more just & equitable workplace. |
| Rep. Conor Lamb (D) | Congratulations to the @Amazonlabor Union on this major victory. All workers deserve the right to organize and have a voice in their workplace. |
| Rep. Frank Pallone (D) | For too long, Amazon employees have had to endure difficult work conditions and low pay – all while the company raked in record profits. Now, workers in Staten Island can finally organize for better benefits and conditions. Congratulations @amazonlabor. |
| Rep. Jim McGovern (D) | This is a historic moment for organized labor in the United States. Congratulations to these Amazon workers who have successfully voted to unionize, ensuring better conditions and protections in what can surely become a national model. |
| Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D) | This is what happens when worker’s make their voices heard. |
| Rep. Marie Newman (D) | This win for workers in Staten Island is a win for workers across the country. |
| Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D) | Congratulations to Chris Smalls, Derrick Palmer, and all the @amazon workers who won their union. This is a huge win. Congrats. ¡Si se puede! |
| Rep. Ritchie Torres (D) | David vs Goliath. David won—again. A powerful message has been heard around the world: the 21st century belongs to labor. Thank you, @amazonlabor, for showing us all what is possible. |
| Rep. Mark Takano (D) | Congratulations to @amazonlabor on making history by successfully organizing the first Amazon union in the entire country in Staten Island. Who’s next? |
| Rep. Paul Tonko (D) | When workers win, America wins. Congratulations to @amazonlabor on their historic organizing victory! Every worker deserves the right to organize and join a union, and I look forward to building on this big win with more action to support good-paying, union jobs here in America |
| Rep. Peter DeFazio (D) | This is phenomenal and marks a huge victory for the national labor movement. All workers have the right to organize – full stop. I stand with @AmazonLabor and the workers at the JFK8 warehouse who overcame unimaginable odds to form the first U.S. Amazon union! #UnionStrong |
| Rep. Dwight Evans (D) | This is great news! More workers deserve a chance to choose union representation – I voted for the #PROAct (Protecting the Right to Organize), and I urge the Senate to pass it! |
| Rep. Tom Malinowski (D) | The historic Amazon Labor Union is setting a precedent for workers nationwide. All Americans have the right to organize and negotiate for better benefits and pay. |
| Rep. Mark Pocan (D) | Not an April Fools joke – the first Amazon warehouse has voted to form a union! Let’s keep this momentum going. |
| Rep. Donald Norcross (D) | Today’s a great day for the working people at Amazon & around this country. No amount of union-busting from corporations will defeat our right to organize or negotiate working conditions. We must continue working to pass the #PROAct & extend worker protections across our nation. |
| Rep. Mike Levin (D) | Congratulations to the new Amazon labor union! The labor movement built this country’s middle class, and this new union is a victory for all those who believe employees should have safe working conditions and fair benefits and compensation. |
| Rep. Yvette Clarke (D) | By working together you have enhanced the voice of the voiceless.?? #UnionStrong |
| Rep. Katherine Clark (D) | You heard @POTUS! Every worker deserves the right to organize – including at Amazon. May the Staten Island Amazon warehouse workers’ victory be an inspiration to every worker fighting for better wages & labor standards. #UnionStrong |
| Rep. Jamie Raskin (D) | Breakthrough unionization wins at Starbucks and Amazon are galvanizing a powerful 21st century labor movement in America. Unions are essential for a strong workforce and a strong democracy. Thx to the workers and organizers involved for leading the way. |
