A12 The BulleTin • Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021
TODAY
THURSDAY
TONIGHT
HIGH
74°
LOW
41°
Plenty of sunshine
SUNDAY
66°
37°
Mild with clouds and
occasional sunshine
Mostly sunny and mild
ALMANAC
SATURDAY
68°
36°
67°
32°
Clear to partly cloudy
TEMPERATURE
Yesterday Normal
Record
54°
54° 77° in 2004
21°
29°
8° in 1936
PRECIPITATION
24 hours through 5 p.m. yesterday
0.00"
Record
0.91" in 1983
Month to date (normal)
0.09" (0.71")
Year to date (normal)
1.18" (3.33")
Barometric pressure at 4 p.m.
30.33"
SUN, MOON AND PLANETS
Rise/Set
Today
Thu.
Sun
6:48am/7:31pm 6:46am/7:32pm
Moon
11:41pm/8:40am
none/9:16am
Mercury 6:24am/5:56pm 6:24am/6:01pm
Venus
6:58am/7:35pm 6:57am/7:37pm
Mars
9:42am/1:16am 9:40am/1:15am
Jupiter
5:05am/3:17pm 5:02am/3:14pm
Saturn
4:33am/2:15pm 4:30am/2:12pm
Uranus
7:55am/9:54pm 7:51am/9:51pm
Last
New
First
Full
Apr 4
Apr 11
Apr 19
Apr 26
Tonight's sky: Emerging from the southeast
before sunrise, the planets Jupiter and Saturn.
Source: Jim Todd, OMSI
UV INDEX TODAY
10 a.m.
Noon
2 p.m.
4 p.m.
3
5
5
3
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index ™ number,
the greater the need for eye and skin protection. 0-2 Low,
3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Very High; 11+ Extreme.
ROAD CONDITONS
For web cameras of our passes, go to
www.bendbulletin.com/webcams
I-84 at Cabbage Hill: Mostly sunny today.
Clear and cold tonight. Sunny tomorrow.
US 20 at Santiam Pass: Brilliant sunshine
today. Clear tonight.
US 26 at Gov't Camp: Clouds and sun today.
Clear tonight. Sunshine Thursday.
US 26 at Ochoco Divide: Sunny today. Clear
tonight. Plenty of sun Thursday.
ORE 58 at Willamette Pass: Plenty of sun
today. Clear tonight. Warm tomorrow with
plenty of sun.
ORE 138 at Diamond Lake: Mostly sunny
today. Clear tonight. Plenty of sun tomorrow.
SKI REPORT
57°
34°
Partly sunny, a couple of
showers possible
Cloudy and mild
EAST: Sunny
Wednesday; a warmer
afternoon. Fair and
chilly Wednesday
night. Sunny to partly
cloudy Thursday.
CENTRAL: Sunny
Wednesday; a mild
afternoon. Clear and
chilly Wednesday
night. Sunny, breezy
and warmer Thursday.
WEST: Sunshine
Wednesday; pleasant.
Fair and cold at night.
Partly sunny Thursday;
a little cooler.
Astoria
61/40
Mostly cloudy with rain
possible
Hood
River
NATIONAL WEATHER
-0s
0s
10s
20s
30s
40s
50s
60s
70s
80s
90s
100s
110s
NATIONAL
EXTREMES
YESTERDAY (for the
Shown are today’s noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
Rain
Showers
Snow
Flurries
Ice
Warm Front
Stationary Front
Cold Front
Source: OnTheSnow.com
Ag workers
bring as many as 8,000 workers
to the region annually.
“We want to make sure we
get some of these vulnerable
communities,” he said. “We
know with the season chang-
ing to spring, a lot more farm-
workers are going to be out
there. So if we can get them
now, before the season starts,
it’ll be a lot easier to get them
vaccinated, rather than having
to ask them to take time out of
their busy schedules to come
get a vaccine.”
It’s a workforce that drives
the region’s economy, but is
widely known to place work-
ers, many of whom are His-
panic and Latino, at increased
risk of infection.
In Morrow County, His-
panic residents have accounted
for 57% of the county’s total
COVID-19 cases, according to
data provided by county health
officials earlier this month.
About 38% of Morrow Coun-
ty’s population is Hispanic, ac-
cording to 2019 U.S. Census
data.
Similar trends have been
reported in Umatilla County,
where residents reporting
Hispanic ethnicity accounted
for 41% of the county’s to-
tal COVID-19 cases in 2020,
according to data from the
county health department. The
population also tested posi-
tive at a rate over three times
higher than non-Hispanics, the
data shows.
Saito said the event was a
collaborative effort between a
number of groups to immu-
nize a community they recog-
nize as a “priority population.”
“We know they’re exposed
because they have to be close
together when they work, and
there’s been a lot of racism and
injustice that’s happened over
time,” Saito said, adding that
the “ending health inequities”
is part of the state’s 10-year
plan. “This is one of the ways
we’re making sure we have an
equity focus and that we’re
looking at those populations
that have been disproportion-
ately infected and who have
historically been underserved.”
of-the-art facilities,” said Simon.
Simon also applied for a per-
mit to have a confined animal
Continued from A11
Simon, knowing Foster
feeding operation with the Ore-
Farms has been looking to ex-
gon Department of Agriculture.
pand, said he hoped to enlarge
Andrea Cantu-Schomus,
his own contract with the com- ODA spokeswoman, said her
pany, but finding the
agency received the ap-
right property wasn’t
plication August 2020.
easy because it needed
The permit would
to be large, relatively
allow Simon to run 3.5
secluded and have level
million birds annu-
ground, water rights
ally — 580,000 birds
and proximity to Inter-
per flock, six flocks per
state 5.
year. Simon said he’ll
Simon
Then a property
probably raise closer to
went up for sale.
540,000 birds per flock.
“When we found this place, it
At full capacity, according to
was a diamond,” he said.
ODA, the operation would pro-
With Foster Farms’ go-ahead, duce about 4,500 tons of ma-
Simon recently purchased the
nure annually, to be sold as an
property, where he plans to
organic soil amendment.
Simon said the manure will
build 12 poultry houses, each
never be kept outside.
60-by-600-feet.
“We’re following every rule,
Robert Wheeldon, director
above and beyond,” he said.
of Linn County Planning and
The permit will go up for
Building Department, said he
public review soon. Simon ex-
approved Simon’s building ap-
pects to start building in May
plications.
or June.
“These are going to be state-
The proposed site does not
include a kill plant. Simon said
his poultry will be processed
in Kelso, Washington, and sold
mostly in Northwest grocery
stores.
Foster Farms did not respond
to the Capital Press’ repeated re-
quests for comment.
Simon said the project will
support his family, create five
jobs and boost local tax reve-
nue.
But his project is unpopular.
Across Scio this spring, lawns
are dotted with hundreds of
signs: “No factory chicken farm
in our community!”
Eastman, the Scio resident,
formed a group called “Farmers
against Foster Farms.”
Eastman is caretaker for her
family’s 300 acres of multigen-
erational farms, three of which
are adjacent to the site.
She’s worried about smells,
sounds and pollution and said
she’s “heartbroken” a piece of
fertile land will be lost to large-
scale farming.
“There are places for some-
thing like that, but it’s not the
Willamette Valley,” she said.
When the confined animal
feeding operation application
goes up for public review, East-
man plans to lead protests.
According to people familiar
with the matter, another con-
tract grower for Foster Farms
plans to build a large-scale op-
eration near Aumsville at Porter
Family Farm, a Century-des-
ignated farm homesteaded in
1848.
“I feel there are other places
they could’ve chosen,” said Te-
resa Anderson, 55, who lives
next to the proposed Aumsville
site. “Just because it’s lawful,
doesn’t mean it’s the right thing
to do.”
Permitting has yet to begin at
Aumsville. Cantu-Schomus of
ODA said her department has
“received some calls and emails
regarding a proposed poul-
try facility in Marion County,
yet ODA has no application to
date.”
Continued from A11
Saito said state officials are
looking to hold similar ef-
forts statewide. State officials
recently conducted a survey
with 585 agricultural facilities
that showed more than 21,000
workers were eligible for the
vaccine.
“We’re working with our lo-
cal public health authorities to
connect agricultural, migrant
and seasonal workplaces to see
if they can do an event(s) like
this” across Oregon, Saito said.
The clinic began two days
after Morrow County received
approval from the state to
move ahead and start vacci-
nating farmworkers after suf-
ficiently providing doses to all
other eligible groups.
At least 20 counties, most of
them east of the Cascades, re-
ceived approval from the state
last week, including Umatilla
County.
The change also comes just
in time for harvest season,
which brings thousands of jobs
to the area. Morrow County
Public Health Director Nazario
Rivera said harvest season can
Yesterday
City
Hi/Lo/Prec.
Abilene
80/58/0.00
Akron
73/40/0.00
Albany
60/23/0.00
Albuquerque
70/49/0.00
Anchorage
37/29/Tr
Atlanta
75/49/0.00
Atlantic City
61/36/0.00
Austin
79/58/Tr
Baltimore
67/35/0.00
Billings
39/20/Tr
Birmingham
80/44/0.00
Bismarck
31/20/0.02
Boise
48/28/0.00
Boston
60/34/0.00
Bridgeport, CT 58/31/0.00
Buffalo
73/31/0.00
Burlington, VT
64/28/0.00
Caribou, ME
46/18/0.00
Charleston, SC 75/49/0.00
Charlotte
74/43/0.00
Chattanooga
77/41/0.00
Cheyenne
39/23/0.00
Chicago
68/49/Tr
Cincinnati
74/41/0.00
Cleveland
73/40/0.00
Colorado Springs 36/27/Tr
Columbia, MO
71/53/0.00
Columbia, SC
74/42/0.01
Columbus, GA
76/51/Tr
Columbus, OH
74/41/0.00
Concord, NH
62/22/0.00
Corpus Christi
82/64/0.04
Dallas
79/59/0.00
Dayton
74/44/0.00
Denver
42/24/0.10
Des Moines
52/43/0.00
Detroit
70/41/0.00
Duluth
33/30/Tr
El Paso
84/58/0.00
Fairbanks
38/19/Tr
Fargo
31/24/Tr
Flagstaff
57/39/0.00
Grand Rapids
67/46/0.05
Green Bay
60/48/0.00
Greensboro
71/42/0.00
Harrisburg
70/34/0.00
Hartford, CT
61/28/0.00
Helena
42/21/0.08
Honolulu
82/69/0.06
Houston
83/60/Tr
Huntsville
77/43/Tr
Indianapolis
74/43/0.10
Jackson, MS
80/46/0.33
Jacksonville
76/61/0.36
Today
Thursday
Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
64/37/s
67/45/s
52/30/r
33/25/sf
59/39/r
40/24/r
60/35/s
66/43/s
33/16/c
28/8/c
76/39/t
54/32/s
59/48/r
49/34/r
64/40/c
69/39/pc
65/43/r
50/30/c
54/36/s
70/43/s
69/36/t
53/30/s
44/21/s
64/31/s
62/36/s
72/43/s
63/52/c
55/29/r
57/46/r
49/30/r
53/29/r
35/24/sf
59/35/r
38/23/r
55/40/c
47/29/r
80/57/t
61/36/pc
72/44/t
54/30/s
69/37/t
51/30/s
48/27/s
62/37/s
45/24/pc
40/25/s
51/30/r
40/23/pc
49/30/r
34/28/sf
50/28/s
67/41/s
52/26/pc
49/30/s
81/49/t
57/34/s
80/41/t
57/35/s
51/29/r
37/23/pc
63/47/r
51/24/r
77/52/c
67/51/sh
64/40/pc
67/45/s
51/28/r
37/22/pc
51/29/s
68/39/s
44/22/s
48/31/s
50/24/pc 36/24/pc
30/16/s
39/27/s
69/46/s
70/51/pc
29/6/sn
13/1/sn
35/17/s
54/35/s
55/28/s
66/36/s
42/23/pc 36/18/pc
37/21/pc
39/21/s
67/41/t
51/27/s
62/41/r
47/29/c
62/46/r
48/27/r
56/31/s
69/39/s
82/71/sh 81/69/pc
74/44/t
69/42/s
65/34/t
51/27/s
48/28/r
39/22/pc
71/37/t
58/32/s
85/60/pc 67/40/sh
Amsterdam
Athens
Auckland
Baghdad
Bangkok
Beijing
Beirut
Berlin
Bogota
Budapest
Buenos Aires
Cabo San Lucas
Cairo
Calgary
Cancun
Dublin
Edinburgh
Geneva
Harare
Hong Kong
Istanbul
Jerusalem
Johannesburg
Lima
Lisbon
London
Madrid
Manila
68/47/s
57/48/sh
72/58/sh
86/60/c
99/81/pc
76/50/pc
66/55/pc
73/46/pc
65/50/t
69/44/pc
71/63/s
84/65/s
69/51/pc
53/32/s
87/76/pc
58/45/c
58/40/sh
76/47/s
76/54/pc
82/75/pc
52/42/c
56/49/pc
75/56/c
75/66/pc
76/56/pc
70/48/pc
75/48/s
96/79/pc
City
Juneau
Kansas City
Lansing
Las Vegas
Lexington
Lincoln
Little Rock
Los Angeles
Louisville
Madison, WI
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York City
Newark, NJ
Norfolk, VA
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Orlando
Palm Springs
Peoria
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Portland, ME
Providence
Raleigh
Rapid City
Reno
Richmond
Rochester, NY
Sacramento
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Antonio
San Diego
San Francisco
San Jose
Santa Fe
Savannah
Seattle
Sioux Falls
Spokane
Springfi eld, MO
Tampa
Tucson
Tulsa
Washington, DC
Wichita
Yakima
Yuma
Yesterday
Hi/Lo/Prec.
40/34/0.53
57/49/0.00
69/46/0.10
69/53/0.00
73/44/0.00
53/40/0.00
60/48/0.32
75/56/0.00
78/44/0.13
59/49/0.00
70/50/1.05
86/76/0.00
67/51/0.00
41/33/0.00
77/45/0.02
82/63/Tr
61/36/0.00
61/35/0.00
69/47/0.00
65/51/0.00
52/39/0.01
87/65/Tr
88/62/0.00
66/47/Tr
64/38/0.00
86/58/0.00
72/35/0.00
47/24/0.00
56/30/0.00
74/40/0.00
41/22/0.00
57/29/0.00
71/41/0.00
71/25/0.00
80/51/0.00
74/55/Tr
43/27/0.00
82/60/Tr
67/52/0.00
77/49/Tr
77/47/0.00
66/34/0.00
73/53/0.01
54/34/0.00
44/32/0.00
49/24/0.00
71/50/0.00
88/71/0.32
87/56/0.00
71/57/0.00
69/45/0.00
59/47/0.00
57/23/0.00
86/61/0.00
Today
Thursday
Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
39/31/r
38/26/sn
51/25/pc
52/36/s
45/22/pc 35/18/pc
73/52/s
78/59/s
53/29/r
42/21/pc
51/21/s
58/40/s
51/34/r
59/30/s
86/62/s
89/59/s
52/33/r
46/25/pc
41/19/s
41/22/s
49/35/r
53/31/s
85/72/pc 85/63/sh
43/24/s
38/25/s
36/21/s
45/30/s
53/33/r
50/27/s
84/50/t
63/46/pc
63/46/r
49/29/r
64/46/r
49/29/r
76/48/t
55/34/c
61/35/s
65/41/s
48/21/s
55/37/s
87/68/sh 75/47/sh
87/64/s
92/68/s
47/25/pc
43/25/s
68/45/r
48/30/r
89/66/s
93/66/s
55/30/r
34/22/sf
56/47/pc
50/28/r
62/52/c
54/29/r
74/44/t
53/29/s
51/26/s
70/39/s
67/38/s
74/40/s
70/43/r
52/29/c
55/30/r
35/23/sf
81/48/s
84/49/s
52/30/pc
49/29/s
54/36/s
67/45/s
66/45/c
70/44/pc
82/57/s
81/56/s
78/54/s
76/50/s
83/51/s
83/50/s
58/28/s
66/35/s
84/56/pc 64/37/pc
60/42/pc 55/42/pc
40/17/s
53/37/s
58/37/pc
64/36/s
53/26/pc
52/31/s
85/71/pc 75/48/sh
88/62/s
90/59/s
61/35/s
63/42/s
65/44/r
50/32/c
57/31/s
62/42/s
65/36/pc 70/34/pc
87/59/s
92/56/s
95/71/0.00
81/55/0.00
59/29/0.00
46/31/0.31
81/63/0.17
87/73/0.00
99/72/0.00
70/52/0.01
61/37/0.00
63/25/0.00
77/46/0.00
88/75/0.01
67/43/0.00
73/49/0.00
82/68/0.42
57/46/0.00
62/36/0.00
66/59/0.19
89/75/0.36
55/45/0.01
71/58/0.06
85/68/0.30
68/51/0.00
68/58/0.00
68/33/0.00
48/32/0.00
73/47/0.00
57/47/0.03
96/68/s
81/52/s
53/32/c
44/37/c
79/61/pc
84/71/s
94/65/pc
71/45/s
45/32/c
51/29/r
78/49/s
81/72/t
67/47/s
79/50/s
74/58/t
53/38/s
69/45/pc
62/59/t
88/78/sh
45/32/sh
71/61/s
83/70/pc
65/56/pc
69/56/s
50/29/r
52/42/pc
71/46/pc
69/44/s
INTERNATIONAL
48 contiguous states)
National high: 95°
at Kingsville, TX
National low: -9°
at Daniel, WY
Precipitation: 1.13"
at Apalachicola, FL
T-storms
Rain possible; mixed with
snow early
NATIONAL
Yesterday
Today Thursday
Yesterday
Today Thursday
Yesterday
Today Thursday
City
Hi/Lo/Prec. Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
City
Hi/Lo/Prec. Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
City
Hi/Lo/Prec. Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
Astoria
50/32/0.00 61/40/s 51/39/pc
La Grande
48/24/0.01 60/44/s 69/35/s
Portland
55/35/0.00 70/43/s 64/41/s
Baker City
50/22/0.00 61/32/s 69/33/s
La Pine
52/14/0.00 67/34/s 65/31/s
Prineville
52/16/0.00 76/35/s 65/31/s
Brookings
72/43/0.00 62/45/s 57/41/s
Medford
65/32/0.00 79/42/s 75/41/s
Redmond
55/18/0.00 74/33/s 71/29/s
Burns
52/24/0.00 63/27/s 71/32/s
Newport
50/32/0.00 58/41/s 50/38/s
Roseburg
62/32/0.00 75/42/s 66/37/s
North Bend
53/34/0.00 63/42/s 53/39/s
Eugene
56/29/0.00 67/40/s 65/35/s
Salem
54/29/0.00 67/39/s 63/36/s
Klamath Falls
56/16/0.00 70/28/s 69/31/s
Ontario
54/33/0.00 65/33/s 74/40/s
Sisters
52/17/0.00 75/37/s 67/31/s
Lakeview
54/16/0.00 65/29/s 68/33/s
Pendleton
53/25/0.02 70/46/s 73/39/s
The Dalles
58/32/0.00 69/39/s 68/38/s
Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice, Tr-trace, Yesterday data as of 5 p.m. yesterday
-10s
58°
27°
TRAVEL WEATHER
Umatilla
71/38
Rufus
Hermiston
67/40
71/39
68/38
Arlington
Hillsboro Portland
Meacham Lostine
69/40
69/37 70/43
58/43
Wasco
60/40 Enterprise
Pendleton
The Dalles
Tillamook
57/40
66/35
70/46
Sandy
69/39
McMinnville
64/39
Joseph
Heppner
La
Grande
71/46
Maupin
Government
68/39
60/44
56/41
Camp
69/36 Condon 70/44
Union
Lincoln City
66/39
61/37
59/41
Salem
61/42
Spray
Granite
Warm Springs
67/39
Madras
71/36
Albany
56/34
Newport
Baker City
75/35
77/37
Mitchell
58/41
66/36
61/32
Camp Sherman
67/41
Redmond
Corvallis
John
Yachats
Unity
74/38
74/33
66/38
Day
Prineville
60/41
60/31
Ontario
Sisters
76/35
Paulina
63/37
65/33
Florence
Eugene 75/37
Bend Brothers 63/30
Vale
63/41
67/40
74/41
63/32
Sunriver
65/33
Nyssa
72/38
Hampton
Cottage
La Pine
66/35
Juntura
Oakridge
Grove
67/34
63/30
OREGON EXTREMES Coos Bay
Burns
65/30
75/43
71/40
Fort
Rock
66/40
63/27
Riley
YESTERDAY
Crescent
68/28
63/27
High: 72°
67/34
Bandon
Roseburg
Christmas Valley
Jordan Valley
at Brookings
Beaver
Frenchglen
Silver
61/42
75/42
67/28
58/33
Low: 13°
Marsh
Lake
61/35
Port Orford
65/30
69/32
at Rome
Grants
Burns Junction
Paisley
62/43
Pass
65/27
Chiloquin
69/35
81/44
Rome
Medford
68/30
Gold Beach
79/42
67/29
58/42
Klamath
Fields
Ashland
McDermitt
Lakeview
Falls
Brookings
60/33
77/46
70/28
58/30
62/45
65/29
Seaside
64/41
Cannon Beach
63/41
TUESDAY
56°
30°
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
In inches as of 5 p.m. yesterday
Ski resort
New snow
Base
Anthony Lakes Mtn
0
80-80
Hoodoo Ski Area
0
0-98
Mt. Ashland
0
63-77
Mt. Bachelor
0
110-118
Mt. Hood Meadows
1
0-223
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl
3
77-102
Timberline Lodge
3
0-192
Willamette Pass
0
0-45
Aspen / Snowmass, CO
7
58-81
Mammoth Mtn. Ski, CA
0
68-113
Squaw Valley, CA
0
0-122
Park City Mountain, UT
0
54-70
Sun Valley, ID
0
50-75
Chicken
MONDAY
OREGON WEATHER
Bend Municipal Airport through 5 p.m. yest.
High
Low
FRIDAY
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Staff at a COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic at the Sage Center in Board-
man administer doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on March 24.
70/36/0.00
64/54/0.04
70/63/0.06
79/49/0.00
97/82/0.00
71/43/0.00
66/55/0.00
72/42/0.00
66/52/0.03
63/48/0.17
72/60/0.00
81/59/0.00
71/52/0.00
39/14/0.00
86/68/0.00
60/47/0.00
60/52/0.00
68/36/0.00
76/51/0.00
85/75/0.00
48/39/0.18
61/44/0.00
73/52/0.00
77/67/0.02
72/58/0.02
73/41/0.00
70/46/0.00
96/79/0.00
56/38/pc
58/45/pc
70/58/sh
86/59/pc
99/83/pc
67/51/c
65/56/pc
64/36/c
67/51/t
73/49/pc
71/64/pc
83/68/pc
70/53/pc
59/29/s
85/74/pc
51/41/pc
48/32/pc
73/47/pc
78/54/pc
82/75/pc
51/41/c
57/52/s
77/59/s
74/66/pc
66/54/sh
62/40/pc
71/50/pc
95/78/s
Amazon
Continued from A11
“This is lighting a fuse,
which I believe is going to
spark an explosion of union
organizing across the coun-
try, regardless of the results,”
said union President Stuart
Appelbaum.
The union push could
spread to other parts of Am-
azon and threaten the com-
pany’s profits, which soared
84% last year to $21 billion.
At a time when many com-
panies were cutting jobs,
Amazon was one of the
few still hiring, bringing on
board 500,000 people last
year alone to keep up with a
surge of online orders.
Bessemer workers fin-
ished casting their votes
Monday. The counting be-
gan Tuesday, which could
take days or longer depend-
ing on how many votes are
received and how much time
it takes for each side to re-
view. The process is being
overseen by the National La-
bor Relations Board and a
majority of the votes will de-
cide the final outcome.
For Amazon, which em-
ploys more than 950,000
full- and part-time workers
in the U.S. and nearly 1.3
million worldwide, a union
could lead to higher wages
that would eat into its prof-
its. Higher wages would also
mean higher costs to get
packages to shoppers’ door-
steps, which may prompt
Amazon to raise prices, says
Erik Gordon, a professor at
the University of Michigan’s
Ross School of Business.
In a statement, Amazon
says it encouraged all its
employees to vote and that
“their voices will be heard in
the days ahead.”
Any push to unionize is
considered a long shot, since
labor laws tend to favor em-
ployers. Alabama itself is a
“right-to-work” state, which
allows workers in unionized
shops to opt out of paying
union dues even as they re-
tain the benefits and job
protection negotiated by the
union.
Kent Wong, the director
of the UCLA Labor Center,
says companies in the past
Mecca
Mexico City
Montreal
Moscow
Nairobi
Nassau
New Delhi
Osaka
Oslo
Ottawa
Paris
Rio de Janeiro
Rome
Santiago
Sao Paulo
Sapporo
Seoul
Shanghai
Singapore
Stockholm
Sydney
Taipei City
Tel Aviv
Tokyo
Toronto
Vancouver
Vienna
Warsaw
97/70/s
64/50/t
35/22/sn
44/36/c
79/61/t
84/67/pc
90/62/pc
74/54/pc
48/33/pc
31/21/sn
78/46/pc
83/73/s
66/47/s
76/50/s
74/61/s
51/32/s
74/49/pc
66/60/c
91/79/c
48/32/pc
75/61/pc
84/70/pc
67/59/s
65/56/c
34/23/sf
52/40/c
72/51/pc
67/38/c
have closed stores, ware-
houses or plants after work-
ers have voted to unionize.
“There’s a history of com-
panies going to great lengths
to avoid recognizing the
union,” he says.
Walmart, the nation’s
largest retailer and biggest
private employer, has suc-
cessfully fought off organiz-
ing efforts over the years.
Amazon has been hanging
anti-union signs throughout
the Bessemer warehouse,
including inside bathroom
stalls, and holding manda-
tory meetings to convince
workers why the union is a
bad idea, according to one
worker who recently testi-
fied at a Senate hearing. It
has also created a website for
employees that tells them
they’ll have to pay $500 in
union dues a month, taking
away money that could go to
dinners and school supplies.
Amazon’s hardball tactics
extend beyond squashing
union efforts. Last year, it
fired a worker who orga-
nized a walkout at a New
York warehouse to demand
greater protection against
coronavirus, saying the em-
ployee himself flouted dis-
tancing rules. When Seattle,
the home of its headquar-
ters, passed a new tax on big
companies in 2018, Amazon
protested by stopping con-
struction of a new high-rise
building in the city; the tax
was repealed four weeks
later. And in 2019, Ama-
zon ditched plans to build
a $2.5 billion headquarters
for 25,000 workers in New
York after pushback from
progressive politicians and
unions.
Beyond Amazon is an
anti-union culture that
dominates the South. And
unions have lost ground na-
tionally for decades since
their peak in the decades
following World War II. In
1970, almost a third of the
U.S. workforce belonged to
a union. In 2020, that fig-
ure was 10.8%, according
to the U.S. Bureau of La-
bor Statistics. Private sector
workers now account for less
than half of the 14.3 million
union members across the
country.