Unions Rally Over Working Conditions At North Andover Amazon Site

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — Local unions and elected officials were among those protesting Monday afternoon at the future site of a large Amazon distribution facility.

The protesters called for better working conditions for both the construction phase and the future operation of the facility, as part of the "Amazon Updates" campaign launched in October by the Merrimack Valley Construction and Building Trades Council.

Chris Brennan, president of the Merrimack Valley Building Trades Council, said the unions are calling for "careers, not jobs." That means higher wages as well as benefits including healthcare and retirement — not just for Amazon's direct employees, but also for contractors like those constructing the facility.

The Merrimack Valley Building Trades Council includes a half-dozen local unions, including laborers, electricians and painters. Brennan's group was joined by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the Massachusetts Building Trades Council.

The protest came just a day after President Joe Biden gave a boost to Amazon workers in Alabama attempting to unionize. While Biden did not specifically mention Amazon in his video, it was clear the "workers in Alabama" referred to the campaign to make the 6,000-employee strong facility the first Amazon workplace to unionize in the U.S.

North Andover police estimated around 150 people were at Monday's rally. Among them were members of Teamsters Local 25, some of whom have already picketed the site over the general contractor replacing a unionized port-a-potty rental company with a non-unionized one, as reported by the Eagle-Tribune.

"We're fighting for working people," Brennan said. "We're trying to gain equity out of this project, both in its construction and the long-term workforce."

That could mean a "comprehensive employer agreement" with the general contractor that sets standards for subcontractors. Brennan said he wants to see union representation encouraged, apprenticeships available to local young people, strong safety protocols and more.

Amazon said it already offers what the protesters were calling for.

“We’re proud to already offer what unions are requesting: industry-leading pay, comprehensive benefits and opportunities for career growth, all while working in a safe, modern, and inclusive work environment," Amazon spokesperson Maria Boschetti said. "At Amazon, these benefits and opportunities come with the job, as does the ability to communicate directly with the leadership of the company."

Amazon's North Andover presence has been in the works since 2019, when the company first picked the town's Osgood Landing site for a distribution facility. The project has gotten through multiple town meeting votes, fairly easily, including a 2020 vote approving a $27 million tax incentive deal.

Brennan said that while residents approved the tax deal, locals "understand what we're fighting for."

"We want them to do the right thing and really inject some equity in the community with this project, which is something they absolutely have the ability to do," Brennan said. "The way this is going, the way it's designed, there's nothing in this project for the people of North Andover."

The campaign touts the support from Merrimack Valley residents in a new video, and they have the support of some local elected officials.

"We know that good-paying jobs, especially right now in a pandemic, are essential to the well-being of working families," said State Rep. Tram Nguyen, D-Andover. "Hillwood and Amazon can help boost our community, grow our local economy, and leave a lasting legacy in the Merrimack Valley by hiring highly-skilled building trades workers from this area."

Hillwood is the Texas-based developer of the project.

"It’s not a coincidence that while Amazon has hit record sales quarter after quarter during this pandemic, their workers have struggled to secure even the most modest improvements to their working conditions or pay," said U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Westford. "As we’re seeing in real-time at the Amazon facility in Bessemer, Alabama, employees making their voices heard are instead met with increased surveillance and even expulsion."

Brennan was also enthusiastic about the unionization drive in Alabama.

"They're our brothers and sisters down there," he said. "If they can win in Alabama, we can win anywhere."

Amazon is also facing the heat in other Massachusetts communities, with some like Malden passing resolutions requiring the retail giant to show fair treatment of workers before any potential expansions.

"Folks like Amazon have gotten away with what they're doing for far too long," Brennan said. "We're trying to draw a line in the sand and say enough."

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.