Amazon union organizer slams AOC for going 'radio silent' until their victory: We don't need her support now
The Staten Island workers made history by being the first Amazon employees to unionize
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An Amazon union organizer called out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. for being "radio silent" as workers from the Jeff Bezo-owned company out of Staten Island fought to establish a union of their own.
Amazon employees at the Staten Island facility voted in favor of unionizing last week, the first of its kind in the corporation's decades-long history.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Connor Spence, one of the union organizers, was asked by the progressive outlet Status Coup News why Democratic lawmakers particularly in New York were largely silent about their efforts.
Amazon Labour Union (ALU) organiser Christian Smalls speaks to the media as ALU members celebrate official victory after hearing results regarding the vote to unionize, outside the NLRB offices in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S., April 1, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
"I think it's just that our campaign and our model was such a long shot, they saw it as risky to even associate with us," Spence told Status Coup News co-founder Jordan Chariton on Friday. "Because at the end of the day, they are politicians as much as they, you know, say that they're on the side of the workers, they have to prioritize getting reelected and all that stuff."
AMAZON WORKERS AT STATEN ISLAND FACILITY VOTE IN FAVOR OF UNION, FIRST IN COMPANY'S HISTORY
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Spence shrugged off how Ocasio-Cortez bailed from appearing at a pro-union rally last August she previously committed to attend but was more bothered on how she "went radio silent for six months after that and didn't show a word for us until it was clear that we were gonna win."
The advocate stressed "we are an apolitical union" and they "don't want to be reliant on political outsiders" though it "would have helped" given their large platforms that could benefit the effort with more publicity and donations.
FWorkers stand in line to cast ballots for a union election at Amazon's JFK8 distribution center, in the Staten Island borough of New York City, U.S., March 25, 2022. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid./File Photo)
"At the end of the day, we won without them, and we can continue to achieve big victories without them," Spence said. "You know, it would have been helpful to have that support early on."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's not really fair for them to stand at the finish line now and say that they support us because we needed the support in the beginning. We don't need it now," Spence added.
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Chariton and "Breaking Points" co-host Krystal Ball called out the Democratic "Squad" member for her tweet expressing solidarity with the union effort after canceling her appearance at a pro-union rally last year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ocasio-Cortez cited "scheduling conflicts" and "security concerns," alluding to "threats" on her life as reasons for her canceled visit, but that did not silence her critics.
FILE - In this July 26, 2019 file photo, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attends a House Oversight Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. ((AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite))
"With respect, there's no security concerns with sending out support to @amazonlabor trying to win the first unionized Amazon to 13 million followers. Your voice and organizing power makes a difference," Chariton wrote back.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, Ball questioned how Ocasio-Cortez didn’t seem to be in fear for her life a few weeks later at the glitzy Met Gala.
"No security concerns at the met gala," she tweeted with a puzzled emoji.
Fox News' Kristine Parks contributed to this report.