The National Labor Relations Board has ruled it is illegal to force union-backing employees to attend meetings held by their companies that are designed to undermine support and argue against the labor groups.

The ruling, stemming from a complaint against Amazon, bars companies from compelling workers to attend meetings on unionization’s downsides.

Mandatory “captive audience” meetings in which companies argue against unionization are illegal, the National Labor Relations Board ruled in a case involving Amazon.com Inc., prohibiting one of employers’ most potent weapons against labor organizing campaigns.