The Franco da Rocha and Região trade union was awarded the UNI Global Union Breaking Through for its efforts to organize Amazon warehouse workers in São Paulo Award awarded, representing a significant step in the fight for better working conditions in the Brazilian e-commerce sector.
In collaboration with UNI Americas and the Trade Workers Union of São Paulo, the Franco da Rocha union launched a campaign in 2022 to win the support of workers at an Amazon distribution center. Since then, hundreds of workers have joined the union and participated in surveys to identify key workplace issues.
“As an Amazon worker and newly elected union executive, I am proud that we are pushing boundaries and supporting a global fight to improve conditions for the company’s workers and e-commerce in general” said Heron Alves, member of the union’s executive board.
Since the start of the campaign, the Franco da Rocha union has recorded several important developments:
- Growth of the union: More than 600 Amazon workers have joined the union, with the number of active members currently at around 315 given the high turnover rate.
- Insights into the world of work: Nearly 200 workers participated in a 2023 job assignment survey that helped union leaders understand work tasks and challenges across the warehouse.
- Leadership qualities: The election of Alves as union director marks the first time an Amazon employee has held a board position at Franco da Rocha.
- Engagement: A 2024 survey collected responses from over 100 Amazon employees to determine negotiation priorities and collect contact information for further outreach.
The union has now presented its negotiating priorities to Amazon to negotiate the first bilateral agreement for Amazon workers in the region.
The award highlights the union’s work to defend workers’ rights in one of the most anti-union companies in the world.
