A U.S. labor representative on Wednesday dismissed Amazon.com Inc.’s objections to a historic union-election victory at a warehouse in Staten Island, N.Y. last year, following months of aggressive efforts by the online retailer to squash the organizing effort. Amazon said it would appeal the decision, which came from a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board. Barring a request for board review of the decision by Jan. 25, the e-commerce giant would be legally obligated to bargain with the union, the Amazon Labor Union, a labor board spokeswoman said.
The labor board can move forward with or deny that request. Christian Smalls, the union’s co-founder and president, said in a tweet that the union beat Amazon “fair and square,” and said now was the time for the company to agree to a contract. Workers at the Staten Island warehouse, known as JFK8, voted last year to be represented by the Amazon Labor Union, despite heavy opposition from Amazon. Amazon later contested the union election results, accusing the labor board of effectively helping the union win that election. “We knew it was unlikely that the NLRB Regional Office would rule against itself, and intend to appeal,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement on Wednesday. “As we’ve said sin …