Workers at Apple's Grand Central Terminal store are Voting on Whether or not to Form a Union

Organizers are Gathering Signatures in Order to File an Election Petition

According to The Washington Post, Apple Store employees at the company's flagship Grand Central Terminal site have begun collecting signatures to create a union. The organizers behind the effort say they voted to associate with Workers United on February 21st, according to a recent update to their website. That's the same labour union that has aided Starbucks employees in the United States in forming unions. "Grand Central is an extraordinary store with unique working conditions that necessitate the formation of a union to ensure our team has the best possible standard of living in what have proven to be extraordinary times with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and once-in-a-generation consumer price inflation," the Fruit Stand Workers United said. Apple refused to say whether it would assist the unionization push when asked by The Washington Post. Those involved in the campaign accused the corporation of using "union busting" tactics, such as communications that attempted to persuade workers that unionization would be detrimental to their interests. "We are lucky to have amazing retail team members," an Apple spokeswoman told The Washington Post. "We deeply value all they bring to Apple." "We are proud to provide excellent salary and benefits to both 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 advantages." In the United States alone, Apple has around 270 locations. At least three other retail sites, according to The Post, are in the process of forming a union. Signature cards are being distributed by organizers at the company's Grand Central site. Fruit Stand Workers United can petition the National Labor Relations Board to arrange an election if at least 30% of the store's employees express an interest in unionization. Many workplaces around the US have begun to unionize in the face of a pandemic that has disproportionately affected vital workers, including Amazon's JFK8 fulfilment centre on Staten Island. A majority of warehouse workers decided to create the first-ever Amazon union in early April. Despite spending $4.3 million on anti-union consultants in 2021, the initiative was successful.