Apple workers in Towson, Maryland voted on Saturday to join a union, making it the first unionized Apple store. Here’s all about the significant achievement of organized labor.
Apple workers unionize in Towson
Apple store in Towson is the first unionized store in the US, a significant win for Apple workers. While the vote is a defeat for the company that has opposed unionization efforts, the move can energize workers at other locations. The voting began on Wednesday and was open until Saturday evening with the tally of 35 in favor and 33 opposing it. About 110 employees were eligible for voting and joining the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
“We did it, Towson! We won our union vote! Thanks to all who worked so hard and all who supported!” tweeted the Towson organizers. The votes must be certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Following this Apple must bargain with the union over working conditions. While the store in Towson is not a “flagship” store, the store received attention from management after Apple workers announced their plans of unionizing. Additionally, a recorded message from Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s head of retail and HR discouraged users from joining unions. O’Brien stated that the move will make responding to employee concerns difficult for the Company. She added that unions are not committed to Apple workers.
Why are employees seeking to join a union?
Apple workers are seeking more inputs on working conditions, pay, covid conditions and handling, etc. “To be clear, the decision to form a union is about us as workers gaining access to rights that we do not currently have,” wrote the organizers to Tim Cook. The Townson store is one of several locations that publicly announced their wishes for union drives. Other locations are watching the results closely before deciding their next move.
High-traffic stores in Grand Central Terminal and World Trade Center in New York City have also signaled their wishes of unionizing. However, they have not advanced to an official vote. A store in Atlanta, Georgia was scheduled to vote in early June but the elections are indefinitely delayed following claims by Communication Workers of America. The union is claiming that Apple is intimidating its employees. However, the Toson store’s unionization is unlikely to jeopardize the firm’s business model.