Whole Foods Union Victory Upheld by US Labor Board Official

Whole Foods Market’s effort to overturn a unionization vote at a Philadelphia store was rejected by a US labor board official, a step towards requiring Amazon.com Inc.’s grocery chain to collectively bargain with US employees for the first time.

In a Thursday filing, a National Labor Relations Board hearing officer concluded Whole Foods’ claims of election misconduct at the Philadelphia store should be overruled and the union should be formally certified. Workers at the store voted 130 to 100 in January to unionize with the United Food & Commercial Workers.