Employees of the St. Louis Apple Store apply for a Union Election
The third unionized Apple Store in the US may be formed by the 82 workers.
Employees of the St. Louis, Missouri, Apple Store have filed for a union election. The union that seeks to represent the workers, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), announced on Wednesday that it has petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to hold a vote on unionization. According to IAM, it aspires to represent 82 workers in this endeavor.
In a previous complaint to the NLRB, the union charged Apple with forcing its employees to attend meetings as captive audiences where management gave anti-union talking points. The Towson Town Center location of the business in Maryland became the first Apple Store union in the US in June thanks to assistance from IAM.
Engadget's request for comment from Apple did not immediately receive a response. The petition is being circulated as more retail employees of the corporation seek to organize their workplace. Glasgow's Apple Store staff unanimously approved joining the GMB Union earlier this month. By achieving this, Apple Glasgow is now on pace to open the country's first unionized Apple Store. Two of the company's retail sites in the United States have already voted to unionize, and several more are actively trying to do the same. The firm is allegedly using union-busting strategies at those stores, including restricting access to pro-union flyers. Organizers claim that the Towson Town Center corporation is depriving union members of additional benefits as well.
The group has already filed an unfair labor practice complaint against Apple, alleging that the firm forced workers in St. Louis to attend a captive audience meeting and threatened them with retaliation if they choose to unionize with the IAM. Since then, employees have applied to be elected to the union.
According to a news release from Daniel Bertilson, a worker at the St. Louis Apple shop, "I am immensely glad that our store team is taking the necessary measures to advocate for ourselves as we prepare to unionize our store formally."
I've worked for Apple for more than five years, and I've sadly had to witness as the company's culture has moved away from actually putting its employees first. I am eager to cast my vote in favor of allowing our team members to collaborate with Apple in order to accomplish our shared objective of providing warm and friendly customer service.
If recognized, St. Louis would become the second city to have an IAM-organized union for Apple shop employees. The group also speaks for certain Apple employees in Towson, Maryland.
