In a historic move, workers at the Apple Store in Towson, Maryland, voted to authorize a strike, marking a significant escalation of labor unrest within the tech giant’s retail division. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), the union representing the workers, announced the decision Saturday evening.
Towson store employees, who became the first Apple retail workers to unionize in the United States, are voicing their discontent over unresolved workplace issues. “Issues at the forefront of this action include concerns about work-life balance, unpredictable scheduling practices that disrupt personal lives, and wages that fail to align with the area’s cost of living,” the IAM said.
Members of the union’s bargaining committee highlighted the importance of the vote, saying: “This vote today is the first step in demonstrating our solidarity and sends a clear message to Apple.” They also highlighted the union’s ongoing commitment to defending workers’ rights and well-being in the face of challenges.
Apple, in response to the strike authorization, pledged to engage with the union respectfully and in good faith. An Apple spokesperson said: “At Apple, we work hard to provide an excellent experience for our retail team members and enable them to provide exceptional service to our customers. We deeply value our team members and are proud to provide them with industry services – exceptional compensation and exceptional benefits.”
The date of the work stoppage has not yet been announced by the union.
In contrast, Apple employees at the Mall at Short Hills store in New Jersey voted against unionizing on Saturday. The Communications Workers of America (CWA), the union that sought to represent New Jersey workers, accused Apple of engaging in illegal union-busting activities and blamed the defeat on the company’s tactics.
The labor unrest at Apple stores mirrors mass organizing efforts seen at other influential companies in the United States, such as Starbucks and Amazon. As Apple has become the world’s first $3 trillion company, the strained labor market resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the working conditions and inequalities workers in stores and warehouses face.
This wave of work activity, according to Kate Bronfenbrenner, director of Labor Education Research at Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, “is indicative of growing frustration among workers and also of contagion in work activity, which occurs when a group of workers stops standing up and inspiring others.”
The strike authorization in Maryland comes at a time when Apple is grappling with a host of issues, including regulatory scrutiny in Washington, sluggish sales in China and an iPad ad that backfired. The National Labor Relations Board last week upheld a decision related to Apple’s alleged union-busting tactics in New York City.
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