Officials are set to reveal the outcome of a high-profile battle in Bessemer, Alabama that could establish the first unionised Amazon warehouse in the US.
Ballots will start being counted on Tuesday after more than a month of voting ends on Monday.
The fight is a key test for Amazon, which has faced criticism around the world over its working conditions during the pandemic.
The e-commerce giant has fiercely opposed the effort.
If it loses, it would be forced to enter formal negotiations with representatives from the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) over a contract for nearly 6,000 staff at the warehouse, located just outside Birmingham, a city in the north central region of Alabama.
With both sides likely to challenge some of the votes, the results of the ballot are not expected to be known for some time.
Amazon says it offers competitive pay and benefits. It has also tried to persuade workers that the union would not be able to win more for its members, even while the union collects hundreds of dollars in dues payments.
But union organisers have said staff are fed up with the relentless and impersonal treatment they receive.
Reuters
Amazon, the second largest employer in the US after Walmart, has long faced criticism over its working conditions.
The complaints hit new intensity last year, as the pandemic brought a surge of business and profit while raising health risks.
Workers in Spain, Italy, France and elsewhere have protested and held strikes, including this week in Germany.
The vote in the US is the first time since 2014 that Amazon has faced a formal union drive in the US.
If organisers succeed against the company in Alabama, many pro-union backers are hopeful it will inspire workers elsewhere to take a stand and set a new work standard for its US workforce.
Political support
“The reason that Amazon is putting so much energy to try to defeat you is they know that if you succeed here, it will spread all over this country,” Senator Bernie Sanders told workers at a recent union rally.
Mr Sanders is among the many Democratic politicians and celebrities who have endorsed the union effort in Alabama.
Last month, President Joe Biden also appeared to back the drive, in a video that called the Alabama vote a “vitally important choice” and warned against company efforts to intimidate workers, though he did not mention Amazon by name.
Unusually, at least one prominent voice from the typically anti-union Republican Party has chimed in with support as well: Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who wrote in a recent opinion piece that “uniquely malicious corporate behaviour like Amazon’s justifies a more adversarial approach to labour relations”.
In recent days, Amazon officials have been unusually outspoken in defending the company, contesting claims from politicians about how much it paid in taxes, among other issues.
All we want to know is why the Sen is one of the most powerful pols in VT for 30+ yrs and their min wage is STILL only $11.75.AMZN’s min wage is $15 + great health care from Day 1.The Sen should save his finger wagging lecture until after he actually delivers in his own backyard. https://t.co/dRo2Tv1xDQ
Dave Clark, Amazon’s retail chief, wrote on Twitter that Mr Sanders should “save his finger wagging lecture” until he delivers on a promise to raise the US minimum wage to $15 an hour – where Amazon sets its starting pay.
Mr Sanders said the pushback was a sign the company was “getting nervous”.
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
