The US could witness its first Apple Store strike as employees in a Baltimore suburb voted late Saturday to authorize a work stoppage.
Apple's Baltimore Suburb Slated for Potential Work Stoppage
Approximately 100 members of the IAM's Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE) have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike at the Apple retail store in Towson, Maryland. The strike will highlight the workers' frustrations with unresolved workplace issues and mark the first unionized US Apple retail store following the June 2022 unionization.
Maryland Workers Collectively Demanding for A Meaningful Change
After more than a year of negotiations with unsatisfactory outcomes, union members are now expressing their collective demand for significant change within Apple management regarding concerns over work-life balance, unpredictable scheduling practices, and wages that have not matched the area's cost of living, as stated in a news release from the union.
This vote marks the initial step in showing solidarity. It sends a clear message to Apple, emphasizing IAM CORE's steadfast dedication to advocating for workers' rights and well-being despite challenges and remaining committed to securing concrete improvements benefiting all employees.
Apple issued an emailed statement expressing its intention to engage with the union "respectfully and in good faith," emphasizing the company's high regard for its team members and commitment to offering industry-leading compensation and exceptional benefits.
The prospective work stoppage would occur after a strike at Apple stores in France in September 2023, centered on pay and working conditions.
Maryland Workers Unionization Efforts
Apple workers in Maryland made history by voting to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union, marking the first time retail employees of the tech giant had unionized in the United States. Workers at the store in the Baltimore suburbs voted by almost a 2-to-1 margin to unionize in June 2022, aligning with a broader trend in the US retail, service, and tech sectors to organize for increased workplace protections. Conversely, workers at Apple's Short Hills, New Jersey, store voted against unionizing, as reported by Bloomberg News on Saturday.
Addressing Apple's Unlawful Union-Busting Conduct
The Communications Workers of America (CWA), which lodged complaints with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) accusing Apple of unlawful union-busting activities at the New Jersey store and elsewhere, attributed the defeat to the company's conduct, as outlined in the report.
According to John Nagy, the operations lead at the Short Hills store, and a member of the organizing committee, Apple retail staff at the New Jersey store submitted a union representation request with the CWA on April 8.
Apple did not respond to requests for comment regarding the vote against unionization, and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment regarding the Bloomberg report on the New Jersey workers' vote.
Out of approximately 100 employees at the Towson store, 98% voted in favor of the work stoppage, the date of which has not yet been disclosed.
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