Dozens of Amazon Employees Walk Off Job at KCVG Amid Union Push

Amazon workers organizing with the Teamsters at KCVG, the company’s largest air hub located in Hebron, Kentucky, walked off the job on July 24.

Unionizing employees walked off over issues concerning surveillance, discrimination and retaliation for engaging in union activity, according to a press release from organizing employees.

In an emailed statement about the walk-out, Amazon corporate doesn't seem concerned.

“Today's event was initiated and attended by mostly outside organizers, and had no impact on our operations or ability to deliver for customers," said Mary Kate Paradis, an Amazon spokesperson.

About 40 demonstrators total were in attendance at Wednesday's demonstration following the walk-out, but it's unclear just how many were KCVG employees. Hunter Collins, a current KCVG employee, told CityBeat that Amazon's recent actions inspired him to join the demonstrators on Wednesday.

“We are here on an unfair labor practices strike," Collins said. "We are here striking against Amazon’s retaliation, bullying, and spying on us. I started with Amazon in November of last year. I worked at a different location in 2020, during Covid. The differences between 2020 and now are stark. They have taken a lot away from their employees and things are continuing to get worse.”

Employees at KCVG began union efforts in November 2022 after upper management announced there would be no peak pay for the 2022 holiday rush, but mandatory overtime would be required. Amazon’s gross profit for the 2023 fiscal year was $256.202 billion, an 18.52% increase year-over-year for the world’s largest retailer. Employees pushing for a union at KCVG are asking for a standard $30-per-hour wage, improved health benefits, on-site translation for non-native English speakers, union representation at disciplinary hearings and more.

In August, lawyers for Amazon will return to a federal court room in Cincinnati.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a federal agency that investigates violations of workers' rights to unionize, alleges that Amazon's union-busting at KCVG has been potentially illegal, saying the mega-retailer has retaliated against several KCVG employees for union organizing, required employees to attend anti-union presentations and tracked employees who were engaging in union activity, among other complaints.
At the time of the NLRB’s filing, Amazon told CityBeat that the company’s actions have been lawful and that they will let the legal process play out.

The trial will resume on Aug. 19.
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