Apple Store Workers In Maryland Become First To Unionize

Workers at an Apple store outside Baltimore have formed the tech giant's first retail union in the U.S.

According to a vote count conducted Saturday by the National Labor Relations Board, employees of the company voted 65 to 33 in favor of joining the International Association of Machinists and Aeronautical Workers. The results have not been certified by the board.

The union's success at Apple shows the worker organizing wave that hit Starbucks, Amazon and REI may spread to other large employers. The labor board has seen a noticeable increase in election petitions this year compared to the previous year, as many workers who have felt mistreated during the Pandemic seek out union representation.

The president of the union that represents Apple workers called on the company to negotiate a contract, and praised the workers for their work.

He said that they made a huge sacrifice for thousands of Apple employees who were watching the election.

The Apple Coalition of Organized Retail Employees, or AppleCORE, was the name the workers used to organize. They sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook last month saying they had come together as a union because of a deep love of their job.

They said they were proud to follow in the footsteps of other workers who chose to unionize. The first Amazon union in the US was established in New York City.

“The union’s success at Apple shows the worker organizing wave that recently hit Starbucks, Amazon and REI may continue to spread to other big-name employers.”

Apple is likely concerned that a successful union bid will spread to other stores around the country like it has at Starbucks, and that is one of the reasons why they oppose workers forming a union.

The company has hired the same union-avoidance law firm as Starbucks to fight the effort to unionize. A company executive made a video for tens of thousands of workers to discourage them from joining a union. The executive worried about what it would mean to put another organization in the middle of their relationship.

Apple retail workers have started organizing. A union withdrew a petition to hold an election for an Apple store in an Atlanta mall because they believed they had lost the necessary support.

Workers at the Apple store in New York City are trying to hold a vote of their own.