Employees at the Staples in Brunswick have rejected an effort to unionize.
They would have been the first Staples employees in the country to organize, but the bid failed Wednesday by a vote of 7-3.
Jay Wadleigh, a local representative with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said it's a difficult process, particularly for those who want to be the first at a large company to unionize.
"It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of tenacity. It takes a lot of internal organizing to keep people plugged in. It's definitely, definitely not easy," he said. "The labor laws in this country, they're not strong enough to help support workers that come together for a common good."
The Staples employees launched a bid to unionize with the Machinists earlier this year. Wadleigh said there was turnover at the Brunswick location over the last few months, and he believes that the workers who left were replaced with new employees who were less sympathetic to the idea of a union.
A spokesperson for Staples did not address those concerns, but in statement, said: "We are grateful to all of the associates, regardless of how they voted, for their professionalism and their continued support of Staples and the management team at the Brunswick store. As a team, we will continue striving to serve our customers for all of their working and learning needs."
Wadleigh said the employees can refile with federal labor officials and try to unionize again one year if they choose.
