Tech Won't Save Us

How to Unionize Amazon w/ Justine Medina & Karen Ponce


Listen Later

Paris Marx is joined by Justine Medina and Karen Ponce to discuss how the Amazon Labor Union succeeded in unionizing Amazon’s JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island, what it’s like working for Amazon, and where the movement to unionize Amazon goes next.

Justine Medina is a packer at the JFK8 warehouse and is on the organizing committee of the Amazon Labor Union. Karen Ponce is a stower at JFK8 and the interim secretary of Amazon Labor Union. Follow Justine on Twitter at @jnmedina8989 and Karen at @Karennn_928.

🎉 This month is the show’s second birthday. To celebrate, we want to get 100 new supporters at $5/month or above to bring on a producer to help make the show.  Help us hit our goal by joining on Patreon. You can also follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter.

Find out more about Harbinger Media Network at harbingermedianetwork.com.

Also mentioned in this episode:

  • You can support the Amazon Labor Union by donating to its Solidarity Fund.
  • Justine spoke to Labor Notes and wrote about why the ALU won.
  • The ALU is making 8 immediate demands of Amazon.
  • Chair of the ALU’s Worker Committee Angelika Maldonado spoke to Jacobin about the union win.
  • Lauren Kaori Gurley wrote about the Amazon Labor Union’s successful union vote at JFK8.
  • In early 2020, Amazon fired Chris Smalls and tried to smear him as “not smart or articulate,” but their internal memos leaked.
  • Jacobin and Briarpatch published articles on the need to salt at Amazon.
  • Chris Smalls says workers from 50 facilities have contacted the ALU.
  • The ALU is demanding to meet with Amazon in early May to begin bargaining.
  • Amazon is planning to ban a ton of words in its chat app.
  • Amazon forcing people to work in warehouses without air conditioning was a scandal in 2011.
  • Support the show

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Tech Won't Save UsBy Paris Marx

    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8

    4.8

    542 ratings


    More shows like Tech Won't Save Us

    View all
    Jacobin Radio by Jacobin

    Jacobin Radio

    1,449 Listeners

    The Dig by Daniel Denvir

    The Dig

    1,570 Listeners

    Citations Needed by Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson

    Citations Needed

    3,903 Listeners

    TRASHFUTURE by TRASHFUTURE

    TRASHFUTURE

    587 Listeners

    Politics Theory Other by Politics Theory Other

    Politics Theory Other

    178 Listeners

    This Wreckage by Sean KB and AP Andy

    This Wreckage

    931 Listeners

    Know Your Enemy by Matthew Sitman

    Know Your Enemy

    2,046 Listeners

    This Machine Kills by This Machine Kills

    This Machine Kills

    207 Listeners

    What's Left of Philosophy by Lillian Cicerchia, Owen Glyn-Williams, Gil Morejón, and William Paris

    What's Left of Philosophy

    277 Listeners

    American Prestige by Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison

    American Prestige

    1,049 Listeners

    Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna

    Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000

    43 Listeners

    The 404 Media Podcast by 404 Media

    The 404 Media Podcast

    316 Listeners

    Better Offline by Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

    Better Offline

    549 Listeners

    Kill The Computer by mail@westernkabuki.com

    Kill The Computer

    352 Listeners

    System Crash by System Crash

    System Crash

    71 Listeners