FLORENCE, Ky. — Union activists from Amazon's CVG hub announced Wednesday their efforts to reinstate a former activist who was fired from the facility.
Griffin Ritze was one of two dozen founding members of Unionize Amazon KCVG at Amazon's CVG hub, which employs 4,500 workers, before he was fired a few weeks ago.
At a press conference Wednesday, Ritze said he was fired because of his stance with the union — Amazon sees is differently.
In a response, Amazon said Ritze's termination was not related to his union support but because of his multiple documented warnings and violations of Amazon policy. The company also said he was in violation of time keeping policies and had the ability to appeal his termination, but did not. Ritze, however, did provide WCPO 9 an electronic document he said he filed to appeal his termination.
"We expect all of our employees to follow our policies and to meet certain minimum expectations, and we take appropriate action when they're unable to do so," said Mary Kate Paradis, an Amazon spokesperson.
Prior to Ritze's firing, Edward Clarke, another union activist, was also fired from the CVG hub in January 2023. Amazon once again said it had nothing to do with his attempts to organize the cargo facility, which is one of the largest employers in Northern Kentucky.
Clarke, like Ritze, also disagreed with Amazon's reasoning.
“This was a corporate firing basically to get rid of a person who was very vocal about bringing people together, helping them organize,” Edward Clarke told WCPO 9.
On Wednesday, the union activists held a press conference to announce the campaign to reinstate Ritze, but to also announce formal plans to establish Amazon Labor Union-KCVG by adopting a new constitution. Other than Amazon CVG workers, labor leaders from Cincinnati AFL-CIO, ironworkers, educations and a member from Senator Sherrod Brown's office were at the press conference.
"We're sick and tired of the poverty wages and mistreatment by Amazon managers," Ritze said at the press conference. "We're tired of staring at empty pantry cupboards. We're tired of sitting at our kitchen tables late at night trying to figure out which bills we're going to pay this month, whether it's the electric or phone that's going to get shut off next week."
According to the union's website, Unionize Amazon KCVG iss seeking $30 in hourly pay, 180 paid vacation hours per year and the right to be represented at employee disciplinary meetings.
"The fact is they're scared of our growing power," Ritze said.
The union activists will be holding an official "It's Our Union" constitutional vote kickoff party on Saturday, Feb. 3.
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