You would think union leaders would be smarter than this.

If you are to try to represent Amazon workers, you couldn’t pick a worse spot to do it than Alabama.

Alabama, like South Carolina, is an anti-union, right to work state.

It would be hard to imagine any union trying to organize Amazon workers at its Lexington County distribution center.

In many weeks of voting, only 55% of the Alabama workers voted.

71% of them said no to a union because they were concerned about job security and were convinced the union could not increase their pay and benefits.

Amazon, the 2nd largest US private employer, extolled its strengths and questioned the union’s benefits.

Analysts told The Wall Street Journal that the union defeat will strengthen Amazon after what has been a year of tremendous growth in the pandemic. Amazon’s revenue last year soared 38% to $386 billion, and its profit nearly doubled as it added 500,000 workers.

Some workers said they were against the union from the start.

Amazon’s minimum wage is $15 an hour, more than double Alabama’s minimum $7.25 an hour plus healthcare and retirement benefits.

Workers said they were wary of the cost of union dues.

Less than 16% of the workers voted to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.

In company meetings, Amazon revealed other contracts the union had negotiated.

Some workers said they feared that Amazon would close the facility if they voted for the union.

Others said they worried Amazon would nix plans for 2 nearby facilities and the jobs it would create.

The vote mirrors a national trend in labor unions’ declining memberships and power.

Despite the victory, Amazon faces other problems.

Congress is now considering the most significant changes to antitrust law in decades.

These include making it easier for the government to challenge anti-competitive behavior or force tech giants to separate their businesses.