An employee at Amazon warehouse on New York’s Staten Island voted to join a union on Friday, a groundbreaking move for organized labor and a stinging defeat for the e-commerce giant, which has aggressively foughtUnionization initiatives at the company

The official vote count has not been released, but the Union’s Union’s Lead is sufficient to make it unlikely that any contested votes will affect the outcome. A union organizer reported that 2,350 people voted for joining the union and 1,912 were against.

Nearly 6,000 employees work in the Staten Island facility known as JFK8. This is the first time that an Amazon warehouse in the United States has voted to unionize. The National Labor Relations Board must still officially verify the election results.

Amazon’s investment in promoting its benefits to workers is reflected in the projected outcome. Amazon covered JFK8 walls with banners declaring, “Vote No!” set up a websiteIt held mandatory weekly meetings. Even hired an intern. influential consulting and polling firm with close ties to Democratic political groups.

Staten Island workers can vote in the Amazon Labor union to challenge Amazon’s existing labor model. This is what underpins its Prime 2-day shipping promise. Amazon could lose control over the delivery and warehouse workers, which can be disrupted by unions. They may also have the power to decide the work pace, hourly wage, and other details. previously told CNBC.

ALU demanded that Amazon establish “more reasonable productivity rates” in its warehouse. It is asking for Amazon to pay more wages as well as provide workers with vacation and additional paid leave.

It was a surprising contender for the opening of an Amazon warehouse union. It was founded in 2021 and is a worker-led, grassroots organization. To fund its organizing activities, GoFundMe accounts have been used to raise donations.

Christian Smalls is the ALU’s manager. He was a JFK8 supervisor. was fired by Amazon in 2020The company claimed that Smalls had broken social distancing regulations. The company claimed Smalls was fired for protesting the need for more safety measures in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

He quickly rose to prominence as a leader in worker activism, both at Amazon and elsewhere. At rallies critical of Amazon’s labor records, and one unforgettable protest, he spoke out. set up a guillotine outside Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’Washington DC mansion calls for better wages

Amazon executives took note of Smalls’ activism. Vice obtained a leaked memo. revealed David Zapolsky, Amazon’s general counsel, had referred to Smalls as “not smart or articulate” in a meeting with the company’s top executives, an incident that further angered critics of Amazon’s labor practices.

Amazon is still facing labor disputes at its Bessemer warehouse in Alabama. Following its determination that Amazon interfered improperly in the previous election which took place last spring, last November’s NLRB requested a re-election.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the U.S. early 2020, worker activism has risen at Amazon. The last significant union vote in a U.S. Amazon facility was at Delaware’s warehouse in 2014. This happened before the election in Bessemer. It was held in 2014 by a small group of technicians. voted 21 to six against joining the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

It vote tally in Bessemer wrapped upThe outcome of Thursday’s vote was close, however. 993 votes were against the union, and 875 for it. The result hinges on 416 remaining ballots that are being challenged by Amazon or the RWDSU. In the next weeks, the NLRB will hold a hearing to decide if the ballots are opened and counted.

WATCH: Amazon workers in Alabama vote down unionization