Workers at the inaugural Apple Store to unionize have taken a significant step by considering the option of initiating a strike against the retail giant's operations.
This marked a pivotal moment in the relationship between Apple and its employees, particularly at the store in Towson, Maryland, which became the focal point of unionization efforts.
TOWSON, MARYLAND - JUNE 20: Customers shop at The Apple Store at the Towson Town Center mall, the first of the company's retail locations in the U.S. where workers voted over the weekend to unionize, on June 20, 2022 in Towson, Maryland. Following a late-pandemic era wave of workers demanding higher pay, better benefits and more negotiating leverage, 65 of the 98 workers at the Towson Apple Store voted to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union on June 18. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Vote to Authorize Strike
On Saturday evening, employees at the Apple Store in Towson, Maryland, voted to allow a strike, according to the union representing them, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers' Coalition of Organized Retail Employees.
While the workers have agreed to the possibility of a strike, they haven't settled on a specific date to initiate it. This decision came after a year-long negotiation period with Apple's management, which the union described as yielding disappointing outcomes.
The employees are pushing for changes to address what they perceive as "unpredictable" scheduling practices and wages that fail to keep up with the local cost of living. They seek more stability in their work schedules and fair compensation that reflects living expenses in their community.
As a spokesperson conveyed, Apple emphasized the significance of its employees and highlighted its commitment to offering competitive compensation and outstanding benefits within the industry.
The statement underscores Apple's dedication to engaging with the union, representing their Towson team members respectfully and collaboratively, and emphasizing their commitment to constructive dialogue and negotiation.
The group has garnered signatures from over 65% of eligible workers. It has informed Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, of its plans and submitted paperwork to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Worker activism has surged since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in 2020, amplifying pressure on the labor market. Seizing upon this momentum, employees are advocating for improved wages and benefits.
The NLRB has lodged a complaint against Apple, asserting that the company deliberately withheld additional benefits from its unionized workers at the Towson, Maryland, store, seemingly to deter unionization efforts.
Even though Apple rolled out new benefits in October 2022, the complaint alleges that employees in Towson were deliberately left out. This prompted them to voice their disappointment in a letter addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook and to lodge a complaint with the NLRB.
