In an effort to stay relevant, trade unions must strive to effectively engage youthful members, spoke out the man responsible for the sole successful membership campaign at an Amazon warehouse in the US at a gathering in Dublin. Chris Smalls, whilst talking at the Robert Tressell festival, a function honouring the Irish native writer, renowned for his novel ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’, expressed the need for legal amendments in both US and Ireland to lift barriers on worker representation. Furthermore, he lambasted Joe Biden for his failure over the last quadrennial to introduce these changes.
It was in 2022 that Smalls gained considerable global and national media interest, as he spearheaded a campaign that culminated in a majority vote for union representation in Amazon’s JFK8 depot at Staten Island in New York. This remains a singular instance at any of the company’s US warehouses. The accomplishment is viewed worldwide as a source of inspiration by the labour movement in the US, whilst subsequent internal disagreements within the union and its continual battle for acknowledgement it deserves from Amazon is perceived as more of a cautionary tale.
Despite being reproached by his fellow activists for overly concentrating on his public discourse at the expense of his ongoing work at JFK8, Smalls maintained his stance. Speaking at the Liberty Hall event, with President Michael D Higgins, ex-British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, rail union leader, Mick Lynch and Dublin MEP Clare Daly amongst the other speakers, Smalls stated those critics fail to grasp the concept of grassroots organisation.
According to Smalls, Amazon Labor Union (ALU) must become part of a broader network to persist, and concerns are exacerbated by a company hell-bent on ruining his image as part of its continued effort to oppose signing a deal. He expressed their predicament to the audience at the event, explaining, “We remain the one and only union for American Amazon workers that they’ve voted for, yet we are getting cornered”.
The media has started to criticise me. Once known as the sacked worker from Amazon, I have now become a high-profile activist who travels the world. But, they fail to comprehend how grassroots activism works. I am here, rather than at home, because it’s crucial for me to plant these ideas globally,” said Smalls, taking jabs at ‘big labour’, which might have caused slight unease amongst the audience that contained many high-ranking officials from Irish trade unions.
Smalls observed the lack of youth in the room, proposing that it is indicative of the broader difficulty the movement is having in identifying with younger workers. He emphasised, “We should invite them because they are necessary for the formation of a multi-generational and multi-ethnic movement.”
Although he has previously turned down big unions in New York, Smalls has recently distanced himself from prospective allies by not openly supporting Biden’s re-election campaign. Despite the US president welcoming Smalls to the White House following the Amazon vote, the 35-year-old has refrained from endorsing either him or Donald Trump.
Smalls stated, “The Democrats are losing the backing of the youth due to their stance on Palestine and their association with major corporations. The United States is facing a homelessness and mental health crisis, but there’s no healthcare system. Biden has done nothing for unions in his first term.”
Soon, the ALU will be required to conduct a presidential election, and Smalls has disclosed he wouldn’t run for the position as he wants to concentrate on the broader campaign for unionising Amazon workers.
With a grin, he stated, “I’m on an upward transition.” His opponents within the ALU have asserted it’s more a case of “transitioning out”, but considering that senior Amazon executives previously suggested Smalls’ campaign at JFK8 would likely fail because he was perceived as “not smart or articulate,” even his detractors may think twice before underestimating his capacity to prove them wrong again.