The Apple Shop in Baltimore is the Third to Begin a Unionization Drive

Organizers informed CEO Tim Cook of their intention to join a union in a letter.

The Washington Post reported that employees at an Apple store in Towson, Maryland, sent CEO Tim Cook a letter today telling him of their attempt to unionize. The Coalition of Organized Retail Employees, or AppleCore for short, represents the third Apple retail location that has been reported to be in the process of unionizing. In June, one Apple store in Atlanta will have a union vote, while another in New York City's Grand Central Terminal is gathering signatures. The Washington Post reported earlier this year that a number of other Apple stores are privately considering a union drive, but have yet to make their plans public. "As our store approaches its 20th anniversary, we reflect on the company's history and how we have always stood out; because we have always thought differently." "Today, we're asking you to do the same and commit not to use your resources to dissuade us," AppleCore members stated in the letter. The Verge reported last month that Apple had hired the major anti-union law firm Littler Mendelson, which union organizers interpreted as an attempt to stifle unionization efforts. According to the Towson group, roughly 65 % of eligible workers support them, giving them a supermajority of the store's employees. To hold an NLRB union election, a workplace only requires the signatures of thirty percent of its employees, but a majority of workers must favor unionization for the campaign to be successful. Workers in Towson cited a lack of scheduling flexibility, concerns over covid safety, and stagnant pay, as have workers in other Apple stores who have announced their intention to unionize. Lagging compensation appears particularly vexing, given that Apple has made massive gains since the outbreak, even while the economy as a whole has sunk into a likely recession. An Apple spokesman reacted to the letter in a response to The Washington Post. "We are lucky to have outstanding retail team members, and we appreciate everything they contribute to Apple." We are glad to provide competitive pay and benefits to full-time and part-time employees, including health insurance, tuition reimbursement, new parental leave, paid family leave, annual stock grants, and many other advantages." The Towson business intends to file documentation with the National Labor Relations Board later this month. Employees at this store in the Towson Mall are working with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, a labor union that mostly represents the aerospace and defense industries.