Vote counting to start in Amazon union election

BESSEMER, Ala. — Vote counting in the union push at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, is about to begin, but hundreds of contested ballots could muddy the outcome if it’s a close race.

The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union said that 3,215 votes were sent in, about 55% of the nearly 6,000 workers who were eligible to vote.

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Hundreds of those votes were contested by Amazon or the union for various reasons.

In order to determine a winner, the margin of victory must be more than the number of contested votes, otherwise a hearing will be held on whether or not to open the contested votes and count them toward the final tally.

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