Labor consultants have been a key ingredient in the company’s counter-campaign, delivering anti-union talking points in what are known as “captive audience” meetings with workers. In addition, Amazon disputed the election results, in which the union won 2,654 to 2,131, accusing organizers and the National Labor Relations Board of illegally tainting the vote. We don’t believe it represents what the majority of our team wants

Labor consultants have been a key ingredient in the company’s counter-campaign, delivering anti-union talking points in what are known as “captive audience” meetings with workers. The company pays firms around $3,000 per day, plus expenses, for each consultant, according to filings.

“Amazon managed to remain union-free in the U.S. until last year, when the upstart Amazon Labor Union organized a warehouse in Staten Island.”

It is relatively rare for a company to disclose spending in excess of $1 million on labor consultants in a single year, let alone more than $14 million. Still, Amazon boasts a worldwide workforce of around 1.5 million and had $514 billion in sales last year, according to its most recent annual report. The company has faced union organizing drives in Alabama, New York, California and elsewhere in the U.S.

“Their job is to operate in the shadows,” Spence said at the time. “When you expose them for what they are, it makes it very difficult for them to do their job.”

The ALU is still trying to negotiate a first contract with Amazon for workers at the Staten Island facility, known as JFK8. In addition, Amazon disputed the election results, in which the union won 2,654 to 2,131, accusing organizers and the National Labor Relations Board of illegally tainting the vote.

succeeded in wasting time and delaying bargaining ― a characterization that Hards disputed.

“Our employees have the choice of whether or not to join a union. They always have,” Hards said. ”We strongly disagree with the outcome... We don’t believe it represents what the majority of our team wants.”