Aspiring rapper, father-of-three and tech-savvy activist Chris Smalls shook up the status quo, using digital tools to champion a better world. As the founder and former president of the Amazon Labor Union in Staten Island, Smalls became a fierce advocate for workers’ rights and improved conditions. His journey took a pivotal turn in 2020 when he was fired by Amazon after leading protests against the company’s harsh working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic—a move that only fuelled his determination to fight for justice.
Smalls also took his fight to Washington, where he testified before a bipartisan panel in Congress, calling out Amazon’s union-busting tactics. In a viral exchange, he challenged Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to view union rights not as a partisan issue but as a “workers’ thing.” His efforts culminated in a visit to the Oval Office, where he met with Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden to discuss the legal rights of workers to bargain collectively.
“[Connor] Spence will take over the leadership role from Chris Smalls, a former Amazon worker. He spearheaded the first successful U.S. union organizing effort in the retail giant’s history in 2022, when workers at the Staten Island warehouse voted in favor of ALU representatio.” – Yahoo! Finance
However, rumblings of discontent within the union began to surface as Smalls’ strategy came under scrutiny. After suffering two election losses in New York and pulling the plug on a union vote in California, some organizers started to question his approach. While a few members quietly drifted away, others joined a dissident faction led by Connor Spence. By July of this year, the winds of change had swept through the union. In a significant shift, workers elected new leadership for the first time since aligning with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Smalls was ousted, with Spence—a fellow former Amazon employee—taking the reins after securing 137 out of 247 votes.
Various platforms have covered Smalls’ journey, including including Mozilla, who featured him in their series about game changers, Rise25, and popular YouTuber helloyassine, who got some flack for labelling Smalls as “failed” in the title of their video, “The Failed Rapper Who Fought Amazon… And Won.”
