NLRB Orders Amazon to Negotiate with Staten Island Union

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that Amazon must negotiate with the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), which represents about 5,000 workers at a Staten Island warehouse. The ruling comes after years of resistance from Amazon, which has argued against recognizing the union's legitimacy.

The NLRB stated in its decision that Amazon engaged in unfair labor practices by refusing to bargain with the ALU or recognize it as legitimate, according to Reuters. The Teamsters, which have aligned with the ALU, called this a 'historic victory for Amazon Teamsters nationwide and a testament to worker power.' However, Amazon disagreed with the ruling and plans to appeal, suggesting that representatives of the NLRB improperly influenced the election.

According to HuffPost, Amazon spent over $26.3 million on anti-union labor consultants in 2025, marking a record high expenditure by any U.S. employer in a single year. The company has been battling union campaigns for years and maintains that its employees have the right to choose whether or not to join a union.

The NLRB also settled another case with Amazon, where the company agreed not to retaliate against workers who go on strike. As part of the settlement, Amazon will restore unpaid time off (UPT) that it 'illegally' docked from employees who walked off the job and ensure all Amazon workers can strike in the future without losing their UPT. The Teamsters stated that more than 100 employees will have their UPT restored.

Amazon's spokesperson, Eileen Hards, told CNBC that while they believe the company managed these situations appropriately, they agreed to resolve the matter so they can move forward and continue working directly with their employees. The NLRB cited several cases since 2022 where Amazon deducted employees' UPT after they walked out.