After a year of negotiations
The Apple Store in the USA is to go on strike for the first time
May 12, 2024, 10:49 a.m
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Like other US technology companies, Apple is also very careful to ensure that its employees do not organize into unions – or even go on strike. However, the union prevailed in one of the iPhone manufacturer’s stores in Maryland.
Unionized workers in an Apple store in the US state of Maryland have called for a strike. According to a union representative, about 98 percent of the Towson city store employees who took part in the vote voted for a work stoppage. Year-long negotiations with Apple management led to “unsatisfactory results,” said the IAM union. If the strike occurs, it would be the first in a US Apple store.
Another round of negotiations for the approximately 100 Apple Store employees is planned for May 21st, but a strike could take place before then. “The issues at the forefront of this action include concerns about work-life balance, unpredictable scheduling practices that impact personal lives, and wages that are not aligned with the cost of living in the area,” the union said at.
Apple wants to continue negotiating with the union. “We value our team members and are proud to provide them with industry-leading compensation and exceptional benefits,” the company said. Meanwhile, workers at another Apple store in New Jersey voted against unionizing on Saturday.
The employees of the Towson store were the first Apple store employees to form a union in June 2022. The U.S. Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has received numerous complaints against Apple accusing the company of attempts to discourage its employees from organizing unions. In general, US technology companies are considered anti-union, especially the shipping giant Amazon.