美国国家公共电台 NPR--At an Amazon warehouse in upstate New York, workers vote against unionizing

At an Amazon warehouse¹ in upstate New York, workers vote against unionizing

Transcript²

This marks the second loss for the upstart Amazon Labor³ Union, which previously⁴ formed Amazon's first unionized U.S. warehouse in Staten Island. Amazon is still fighting that historic first union win.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Amazon has avoided another unionization effort. Its workers in upstate New York voted decisively against forming the company's second unionized warehouse nationwide. A note that Amazon is among NPR's financial supporters. NPR's Alina Selyukh reports.

ALINA SELYUKH, BYLINE⁵: By a 2-1 margin⁶, Amazon workers at a warehouse near Albany, N.Y., voted against joining the Amazon Labor Union. This same independent group had in the spring formed Amazon's first ever unionized workplace in the U.S.

HEATHER GOODALL: Regardless of the outcome, we brought people together to use their voice.

SELYUKH: Albany organizer and Amazon worker Heather Goodall told reporters the union drive itself produced results.

GOODALL: We brought people together to demand for change. We now are seeing repairs in the building. We just saw a raise. Even if you voted no, those people had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come to the table and speak their voice.

SELYUKH: After decades of little union action, this was the fifth union vote at Amazon in less than two years. Amazon is appealing to overturn the Amazon Labor Unions first and only victory on Staten Island. The company cites its pay and benefits as reasons why unionization hasn't taken off. The raise Goodall mentioned was Amazon recently adding a dollar to starting pay for many up to $17 an hour. But labor organizers also accused the company of unfair labor practices, including illegal intimidation⁷ of pro-union workers, which Amazon denies.

CATHERINE FISK: Unionization is a long, slow process.

SELYUKH: Catherine Fisk at the University of California, Berkeley, says U.S. laws mean labor efforts at big companies can take years, making the union's loss in Albany...

FISK: An early skirmish in what's probably going to be a very long war.

SELYUKH: Over the future of work at America's second-largest private employer.

Alina Selyukh, NPR News.

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1 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

7 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。