Amazon's first union in American history wins a milestone

A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) official suggested Thursday that Amazon's landmark union victory at its Staten Island warehouse should be upheld, a major setback for Amazon trying to overturn the vote. In April, Amazon Union became Amazon's first union on American soil.

Amazon Staten Island workers celebrate union formation

Kayla Blado, a spokeswoman for the NLRB, said in an email that a hearing official handling Amazon's appeal of the union victory concluded that the company had "failed to meet its responsibility" to prove that the union, government or anyone else "engaged in objectionable conduct that affected the outcome of the election."

Amazon has yet to comment. The company has managed to keep unions out of its U.S. operations for more than a quarter century. The company argued in a filing that the NLRB repeatedly "failed to protect the integrity and neutrality" of its procedures.

Amazon has until Sept. 16 to object to the hearing officer's recommendation, after which a regional director of the NLRB will hear it. If Amazon cannot persuade the agency to overturn the vote, the company will be legally required to negotiate with unions over wages and working conditions at the Staten Island warehouse.