Unionization

Yet another Apple union-busting tactic has been found to be illegal. Yesterday’s ruling by a judge was the third time that the company was found to have broken employment law in its efforts to stem the growing tide of Apple Store staff forming and joining unions.

A US labor board judge found that the company was guilty of “coercively interrogating workers” about their unionization activities …

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has already supported claims of illegal Apple union-busting tactics, and now two members of Congress have said that this appears to be a recurring pattern.

Democratic representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) have jointly written to the NLRB asking for a wider investigation into Apple’s response to the growing unionization movement within its retail stores …

Whether you are for or against the unionization of Apple’s retail stores, I think few would begrudge the staff many of the things they are seeking. But the call for Apple Store tips strikes me as unrealistic, unreasonable, unpopular, distracting, and likely to prove counterproductive.

The full list of things Apple Store workers are seeking is lengthy, but I think most of us could get behind the five main asks …

Apple has been facing disputes with its retail workers in the US since some stores decided to unionize. This time, a unionized Apple Store in Maryland has been demanding something rather unusual. In addition to higher pay and additional time off, which is expected, the employees want to be able to receive tips from customers.

A union has alleged that five Apple Store workers were illegally fired, in retaliation for their union-related activities. Formal charges have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) – which are in addition to those already filed against Apple for other forms of union-busting.

The Communications Workers of America says that while the official reasons for the firing were attendance-related, this was simply a pretext. In one example, a union activist was subjected to disciplinary proceedings for being an average of one minute late on three occasions …

A “historic” agreement has seen Apple recognize a union of UK Apple Store workers, some three months after staff voted in favor of unionizing. It happened just one day after the company appointed its first ever Chief People Officer.

Apple has signed a collective bargaining agreement which will see the company negotiate with the union over pay, shift patterns, and other working conditions …

Apple Store employee efforts to unionize have been growing and along with that, Apple has been accused of illegal union-busting tactics. Now after pressure from a coalition of investors, Apple has shared that it will undergo a third-party audit to check if it is complying with its human rights policies.

Tension between Apple Store employees and the company has continued to grow throughout 2022 with formal complaints being filed that illegal union-busting tactics have been used. The latest allegation sees union group CWA file a complaint with the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) claiming that Apple created a pseudo-union led by “bosses” to stop employees from forming a union led by employees.

Apple Store staff working in a newly designed store in a London shopping mall have unionized. They say they are seeking a pay raise, pay transparency, improvements to shift work, and less focus on metrics when assessing their work.

Apple Store aficionado Michael Steeber has described the new store design as “unprecedented” …

The National Labor Relations Board’s Atlanta regional director has concluded that Apple anti-union tactics deployed in the Atlanta store broke the law. The company’s actions led to a planned unionization bid being abandoned after what was described as “intense union-busting” by Apple.

The next stage in the National Labor Relations Board investigation will be for a panel of NLRB judges to rule on the matter …

Apple employees at the St. Louis Galleria store were the latest to move toward unionization last month. However, one week after submitting interest to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the group abandoned the plan. An initial announcement from the IAM cited “increased hostility” from Apple as the reason for the U-turn, however, now the Apple employees themselves have spoken up about why the majority changed their minds.

Apple faces the prospect of a union busting lawsuit, over alleged illegal activities designed to persuade Apple retail staff to abandon plans to unionize. It follows two formal complaints about the company breaking the law in the US.

Union organizers are collecting information on anti-union moves in order to prepare a case. It comes shortly after staff at the St Louis Apple Store suspended unionization plans in the face of what was described as “increased hostility” toward workers …

Last week we heard the latest Apple Store moving toward unionization was in St. Louis. With what seemed like strong enthusiasm from employees and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) as the representation, an official filing to start the bid to unionize was made with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Just seven days later, the Apple Store employees have made a U-turn and dropped the effort, at least for now.

As unionization efforts continue around the globe at Apple Stores, a notable moment has occurred in Scotland. The Glasgow Apple Store has become the first location in the UK to see a majority of employees vote for unionization.

The Apple unionization movement is taking place at a time when union membership is at an all-time low, but public support for unions is at the highest point seen since 1965.

While Apple is fighting hard against Apple Store staff forming and joining unions, a large-scale survey earlier this year suggests that embracing unions could help staff retention …

A second Apple Store in the United States has officially voted to unionize. A majority of workers at the Apple Store in Oklahoma City voted in favor of unionizing on Friday and will join the Communications Workers of America union.

This comes on the heels of Apple rolling out new benefits to retail and corporate workers earlier this week, but those benefits will be withheld from stores where employees have unionized.

There’s a growing number of Apple Store workers around the world pushing to unionize, and one store in Maryland has already made the jump. Now, a group of Apple retail workers in Australia has voted to strike next week as they battle with Apple to get the company to agree to a deal and endorse their unionization.

In a similar vein, a new report from Bloomberg today says that Apple will “withhold its latest employee perks” from the unionized retail store in Maryland.

The Apple Store unionization movement is showing no signs of slowing, with the Penn Square store in Oklahoma City the latest to seek to join a union.

Around 70% of staff have applied to join the Communications Workers of America union, and they say they are prepared for any union-busting tactics Apple may deploy …

The Apple Store union battle has now expanded to Australia, with a series of Zoom briefings organized by Apple Together. It previously reached the UK.

Apple is still attempting to talk retail staff out of joining a union, though it has now made its in-store anti-union briefings “voluntary” …

Apple union-busting techniques have been described as “traumatic” by employees in the first Apple Store to unionize, Towson, Maryland.

They accuse Apple of failing to live up to its own human rights policy, and say that various threats were made to workers intending to join the union – including one who was told that the immigration assistance offered by the company could be withdrawn …