Reuters

The National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday ruled that unions and employers engage in "objectionable conduct" that could warrant setting aside a union election when they offer to collect and mail ballots on behalf of workers. The four-member board, which has one vacancy, unanimously ruled that solicitation of mail ballots can give the impression that the NLRB is not in complete control of elections, thereby undermining their integrity. But the board rejected claims by Professional Transportation Inc (PTI), which provides crew transportation services to railroads, that union officials tainted a 2020 election by allegedly offering to help two workers fill out and mail their ballots. The ruling could affect a closely watched NLRB case involving a recent union election at an Amazon.com Inc warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, in which workers overwhelmingly voted against unionizing. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union claims Amazon violated federal labor law by installing a mailbox at the facility, which the company says was meant to make it easier for workers to vote.