In June, Apple Store Employees in Atlanta will vote on Whether to form a Union.
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The procedure will begin on June 2nd.
Next month, employees at the first Apple Store in the United States will vote on whether or not to unionize. Employees at Apple's Cumberland Mall retail outlet in Atlanta will begin voting on June 2nd, according to an agreement acquired by The Verge, with the ballot box open until June 4th. The election will be open to the store's approximately 100 regular full- and part-time employees. The Verge says that Apple wanted the vote to be held in July, citing "a source familiar with the matter." The Communications Workers of America (CWA), the union that aims to represent staff at the Cumberland Mall site, is said to have objected to the relocation since the latter date would have given Apple more time to try to discourage workers from unionizing. Apple has been contacted for comment. Apple hasn't spoken out against its frontline workers organizing, but individuals involved in the Grand Central Terminal union drive in New York have accused the firm of using "union-busting" techniques, such as messaging that tries to persuade employees that unionization isn't in their best interests. When the news of the Grand Central Terminal campaign initially surfaced, Apple commented, "We are lucky to have fantastic retail team members, and we deeply value everything they do to Apple." "We are proud to provide excellent compensation and benefits to full-time and part-time employees, including health insurance, tuition reimbursement, new parental leave, paid family leave, annual stock grants, and a variety of additional benefits." Workers at the Cumberland Mall location seek to persuade Apple to improve their pay, provide more prospects for growth, and create a safer workplace, among other concessions. "One of the most important things we'll be fighting for is fair compensation and a livable salary," Elli Daniels, a store employee, told Engadget. "Everyone needs to be able to live without worrying about whether they will be able to purchase food or pay their expenses. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live in the place where they work." The Cumberland Mall election, like the recent referendum at Amazon's JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island, might have historic ramifications. If workers choose to join the CWA, it will be the first unionized Apple Store in the United States. This is a result that could motivate Apple employees in other retail locations.