In a historic move, Apple Store retail employees have just voted to authorize a strike

The first U.S. Apple Store to ever unionize has now voted to authorize a strike action against the iPhone maker.

Union members at the Apple retail store in Towson, MD, have voted to authorize a strike action, according to a press release from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE), which represents around 100 Apple employees at the Towson Apple Store.

According to IAM CORE, the union tried to negotiate with Apple management for over a year, but it says the outcome of those negotiations was unsatisfactory. The primary issues raised by employees during those negotiations were wages that failed to align with the cost of living in the Towson area, as well as unpredictable scheduling practices and concerns over work-life balance.

Due to the failure of negotiations, Towson Apple Store employees authorized the strike action. However, as yet there is no date set for a strike, with IAM CORE saying it still has yet to determine a potential work stoppage date.

Fast Company has reached out to Apple for comment.

‘A first step’ for frontline Apple workers

The Towson Apple Store was the first Apple Store in the United States to vote to unionize in June 2022. 

In a statement on the strike authorization, members of the IAM CORE Negotiating Committee said, “This vote today is the first step in demonstrating our solidarity and sends a clear message to Apple. The passage of the strike sanction vote highlights IAM CORE’s unwavering commitment to advocating for the rights and well-being of workers in the face of challenges. As discussions with Apple management continue, we remain committed to securing tangible improvements that benefit all employees.” 

In reply to the strike authorization vote, an Apple spokesperson told Reuters, “We will engage with the union representing our team in Towson respectfully and in good faith.”

But the Towson Apple Store wasn’t the only union-related news that Apple faced this weekend. As Bloomberg reports, employees at the Short Hills Apple Store in New Jersey voted against unionizing this weekend. After the vote to unionize was defeated, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union filed a complaint with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board, accusing Apple of resorting to union-busting.

“Instead of leaving the decision up to the workers themselves, the company turned to its usual anti-union playbook to influence the results of the election,” said the CWA in a statement. “Apple’s union-busting is a widespread problem that underscores workers’ need to have an independent voice on the job to ensure the company lives up to its credo. Only through a strong union contract can workers establish real respect and democracy on the job.”

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