Unionized workers at a US Apple Store in Maryland voted on Saturday to allow uno strike, which if it goes ahead would mark the first industrial action of its kind against the retailer in the United States. Employees at the Apple Store in Towson, near Baltimore, have voted to unionize in 2022, another first for the iPhone maker's U.S. stores. However, the contract has not yet been agreed. “After more than a year of negotiations with Apple management that have led to unsatisfactory results, union members are 'signaling their collective demand for significant change,'” we read in a union statement according to which “among the issues at At the heart of this action are concerns about work-life balance, unpredictable scheduling practices that disrupt personal lives, and wages that are not in line with the cost of living in the area.” The Towson store has about 100 employees. For the result to be valid, a majority of votes is required. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for May 21, although the strike could come earlier.
Meanwhile, over the weekend the employees of another store of the Californian company, in New Jersey, rejected an attempt to unionize. Apple in a statement to CNN said it “will engage with the union representing our team in Towson respectfully and in good faith.” The National Labor Relations Board, the federal labor regulator, has received numerous complaints against Apple, accusing it of trying to discourage staff from unionizing. In general, US tech companies are considered hostile to unionization efforts, particularly Amazon.
In September, nearly a quarter of Apple store workers in France went on strike on the launch day of the iPhone 15, demanding a pay rise at least as high as inflation.
