Philadelphia Home Depot workers vote to reject unionization

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Home Depot workers in Philadelphia rejected the first store-wide labor union at the world's largest home improvement retailer Saturday night, a loss for a fledgling movement to organize at major U.S. companies.

Workers voted 165 to 51 against forming a union representing 274 employees at the store, WHYY-FM reported.

The National Labor Relations Board oversaw the voting. A board spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request from The Associated Press for information about the vote.

The defeat for the organizers, who sought to join Home Depot Workers United, could discourage activist workers who have successfully formed the first unions at big chains, including Amazon, Starbucks, Trader Joe’s and Apple, but have since suffered setbacks in getting collective bargaining off the ground or organizing more unions.

The Atlanta-based company employs about 500,000 people at its 2,316 stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Vincent Quiles, the Home Depot employee leading the unionization effort, told WHYY that the attempt to organize workers had been a “tall order.”

“I knew when I filed this petition we’d be taking on a $300 billion company," Quiles said after the vote. "It wouldn’t be an easy fight to have. But you do these things because you believe them to be right.”

Quiles previously said worker discontent with working conditions, understaffing and lack of training are among the grievances that spurred the effort to organize. He also said workers are upset they have not shared more in the record profits Home Depot saw during the coronavirus pandemic.

Home Depot firmly opposes unionization, saying it has an open door policy allowing employees to bring concerns directly to managers.

After the failed union vote, Home Depot spokesperson Margaret Smith...