By Jeffrey Dastin

(Reuters: Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ) workers in a Staten Island sortation facility have been allowed to vote to join the union, according to a labor advocate. This would mark the beginning of a new union election in New York.

According to Christian Smalls (the leader of the group, and a former Amazon worker), the U.S. National Labor Relations Board has notified Amazon Labor Union it showed sufficient interest to vote.

Smalls stated that at least 30% of 1,500 workers at the facility had signed cards sent by the NLRB.

In the 28 years of Amazon’s existence, no Amazon site in America has voted for unionization. Amazon is the 2nd largest U.S. employer and a focal point for labor activists who believe that one union win will spur organizing efforts throughout the nation.

Amazon said in a statement: “We look forward to having our employees’ voices heard. Amazon remains a place where employees want to be. We are focusing on working with them directly.

The company did not respond to Reuters’ query about whether they would contest the validity of the cards. This could have delayed or stopped an election at worksite (called LDJ5).

Smalls will also be leading the efforts to set up a JFK8 larger Amazon warehouse. Workers there will have the opportunity to vote starting March 25, whether or not to join the union. A third contest, which is a repeat of the failed union organizing campaign last year at Amazon’s Bessemer warehouse in Alabama, will be held right now.

Smalls explained in an interview that this election “demonstrates the power of workers when people come together”.