Derrick Palmer

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Derrick Palmer
Derrick Palmer speaking at an All-Workers Militant Front event in Athens
Born1988 or 1989 (age 35–36)
OccupationLabor organizer
EmployerAmazon
Known forWorkers' rights activism
Notable workAmazon Labor Union

Derrick Palmer (born 1988 or 1989)[1] is an American labor activist and whistleblower. He was Vice President of Organizing of the Amazon Labor Union. He works at the Amazon JFK8 sorting facility on Staten Island.[2]

Early life and education

Palmer grew up in

theater, which he enjoyed and led him to aspire to become an actor.[1] Palmer attended community college, but dropped out.[3][4]

Activism at Amazon

Palmer joined Amazon in a warehouse in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey[5] in 2016 where he counted product inventory. He later transferred to New York City's JFK8 warehouse, where he is a manager.[1][6][7][8][9]

After Palmer's best friend from the warehouse, Chris Smalls, was forced out due to what Amazon said was a violation of the company's social distancing policies, the two decided to start a unionization effort. Together they started the Amazon Labor Union.[10]

The JFK8 warehouse voted in favor of unionizing on April 1, 2022.[10]

Palmer and Chris Smalls were named two of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people of 2022.[11]

Palmer v. Amazon

On June 3, 2020, Palmer and two other colleagues, along with three of their family members, filed a lawsuit against Amazon on behalf of JFK8 employees and their families. They are represented by

New York State public health laws, resulting in an alleged breach in Amazon's duty to provide a safe working environment.[12][13] The lawsuit was dismissed on November 2, 2020, after Judge Brian Cogan determined the jurisdiction was with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The legal team filed an appeal on November 24, 2020.[14][15][12]

References

  1. ^ a b c Velasquez, Josefa (March 24, 2022). "Meet the DIY Duo Behind the Amazon Labor Union's Guerrilla Bid to Make History". THE CITY.
  2. ^ Newsham, Jack; Long, Katherine. "Amazon Labor Union's vice president, Derrick Palmer, resigns after assault charges become public". Business Insider.
  3. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  4. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  5. ^ Velasquez, Josefa (April 1, 2022). "A Cinderella Story: How Staten Island Amazon Workers Won Against the Multi-Billion-Dollar Company". THE CITY.
  6. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  7. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  8. ^ ""We Just Unionized Amazon": How Two Best Friends Beat the Retail Giant". Democracy Now!. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  9. ^ "Chris Smalls started Amazon's 1st union. He's now heard from workers at 50 warehouses". NPR.org. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  10. ^
    ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  11. ^ "Derrick Palmer and Chris Smalls: TIME100 2022". May 23, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Palmer v. Amazon".
  13. ^ Palmer, Annie (June 6, 2020). "Amazon warehouse workers file lawsuit claiming 'sloppy contact tracing'". CNBC. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  14. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  15. Courthouse News
    . Retrieved May 3, 2022.
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