Author: Kelly Carter
According to the National Labor Relations Board, workers at an Apple retail store in Oklahoma City approved unionization, making it the country’s second unionized store in a short period.
With the vote on Friday, the labor movement, which has been gaining strength since the pandemic, scored another victory. However, the vote represents a setback for Apple, which has fought nationwide unionization attempts.
Even though separate unionization attempts at Apple stores in Georgia and New York City failed, the Communication Workers of America (CWA), which now represents the staff at the Oklahoma Apple store, also benefited from the victory.
This article will keep you updated on Apple workers’ unionization efforts in Oklahoma.
Winning vote by employees for unionization
According to a preliminary count by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), thirty-two Apple store employees in Oklahoma City’s Penn Square Mall voted against having the Communication Workers of America represent them, while 56 employees supported it. The board estimated that 95 people were qualified to vote.
The NLRB announced Friday that Apple must file an opposition to the elections within five business days. Else the board would validate the results, at which point Apple must start negotiating in good faith with the union.
According to CWA secretary-treasurer Sara Steffens, the Oklahoma City Apple retail staff are an incredible contribution to the association’s expanding labor movement. She continued that the association is overjoyed to have them as Communications Workers of America (CWA) members.
According to Apple, the best approach to deliver a top-notch experience to its customers is through open, collaborative, and direct interaction with its team members. Additionally, the company claims that it has improved perks, like support for families and education, and raised starting pay in the United States by 45% since 2018.
Apple set to object to the election.
A CWA complaint this month claimed that Apple had resisted the union and that management had sponsored anti-union gatherings and said it would withdraw employee benefits from the stores that unionized.
Bloomberg claims that Apple informed personnel that certain benefits, like access to online courses or tuition reimbursement, would have to be negotiated with the union.
On the other hand, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents Apple’s first unionized store in Maryland, is getting ready to start formal discussions with the company.
More workers in the United States are joining unions
Following the pandemic, worker discontent has rekindled labor movements at numerous U.S. companies, which has led to disputes over scheduling, sick leave policy, and other issues.
Despite prior attempts at unionization of other warehouses failing, Amazon employees at a Staten Island facility surprised everyone by voting in favor of it in April.
Additionally, the National Labor Relations Board reports that over 200 Starbucks locations in the U.S. have voted to unionize in the past year.
Bottom Line
Apple employees at Oklahoma City’s Penn Square Mall voted to unionize on Friday. The vote count was 56 in favor and 32 against. As a result, it was a victory for unionization, as the store became the second in the United States to unionize. Apple has five days to object to the election, or it must bargain with the union in good faith. This unionization may be a victory for the labor movement in the country, but it is a significant setback for Apple, which has been staunchly opposed to unionization in the country.