Amazon truly has no shame. In March, they fired Diedre King, a union organizer fighting to unionize Amazon’s RDU1 facility in Garner, NC.
Contribute to Diedre’s GoFundMe right here, and read on to learn Diedre’s story.
Diedre’s Story
Diedre is a union organizer with C.A.U.S.E. (Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment), the organization founded and led by Amazon workers in North Carolina.
The Labor Force worked closely with Diedre and her union before the vote in February. Even though Amazon’s all-out union-busting campaign succeeded, now that the dust has settled they are targeting the union’s leaders.
Diedre worked at Amazon’s RDU1 facility in Garner, NC for over four years. During that time, her employee record was pristine. She never received as much as a write-up from Amazon. She is known for bringing a positive attitude to every shift, advocating for her coworkers, and helping them navigate management and Amazon HR.
Diedre is an active, dedicated, and visible member of C.A.U.S.E.’s Organizing Committee. She represented the union at key events across the U.S., including Labor Notes 2024. In the months leading up to the union election, Diedre could be seen wearing her union shirt to work, handing out flyers, and dishing out food at union gatherings.
After C.A.U.S.E. filed for a union election, Amazon ramped up their union-busting efforts, installing televisions inside the warehouse that played anti-union propaganda 24/7, requiring workers to attend captive audience meetings, and even firing the union’s president.
During the union vote in February, management sent Diedre home on a disciplinary leave after falsely accusing her of slapping a coworker. A month later, she received notice that she had been terminated.
What’s Next
With the support of her union, Diedre plans to fight this retaliation and seek reinstatement. But that is a long process, and Diedre has bills and living expenses to cover now.
In Solidarity,
The Labor Force