Amazon Sues New York Over Labor Law Challenging Federal Authority

Amazon has filed a federal lawsuit challenging New York's new labor law, Senate Bill 8034A, which grants the state's Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) authority to oversee private-sector union disputes when the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is unable to act promptly. The company argues that this law constitutes an unconstitutional power grab that conflicts with federal labor laws by usurping the NLRB's exclusive jurisdiction over labor organizing and unfair labor practices. The legal dispute was triggered by PERB invoking the law to contest the firing of Brima Sylla, a union vice president at Amazon's Staten Island warehouse, while the NLRB was already reviewing the case. Supporters of the legislation emphasize its necessity due to federal gridlock and NLRB backlogs, which they claim have delayed labor dispute resolutions. Amazon cautions that dual investigations by state and federal agencies could lead to conflicting rulings and create untenable situations for employers. This lawsuit, alongside a similar challenge by the NLRB itself, could set an important precedent in delineating state and federal authority in U.S. labor relations.