Apple employees in Maryland vote to authorize strike

Employees at an Apple Store in suburban Baltimore voted Saturday to authorize a strike, setting what could be the first closure of an Apple retail store in the country.

Employees in Towson, Maryland, claim the tech giant is not negotiating a union contract in good faith.

The group of approximately 100 employees is organized under the International Federation of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE). Location, First Apple Store to unionize By 2022, it will be available in more than 270 retail stores nationwide.

“Today’s vote is a first step to show our solidarity and sends a clear message to Apple,” the union bargaining committee said in a statement. statement Saturday. “The passage of the strike sanctions vote underscores IAM CORE’s unwavering commitment to defending the rights and welfare of workers in the face of hardship.While discussions with Apple management continue, we remain committed to ensuring that all employees We remain committed to securing tangible improvements that will benefit our employees.”

No dates have been announced for a potential strike. The union said the vote came after more than a year of negotiations failed to reach a “satisfactory result”, adding that the strike “highlights workers’ dissatisfaction with unresolved workplace issues”. Ta.

Workers’ demands center on concerns about inadequate pay, unpredictable schedules, and a proper work-life balance.

Apple said the company “delivers a great experience for our retail team members and enables them to deliver great service to our customers.” Statement to the Washington Post. “We work respectfully and in good faith with the unions representing Towson’s teams,” the spokesperson added.

The labor action comes amid a spate of strikes across the country last year. Last year’s strike at Detroit’s Big Three automakers brought the auto industry to a standstill with work interruptions, and a record four-month strike by actors and writers halted TV and film production for months.

Workers at Starbucks stores and Amazon warehouses are also moving to form unions, but they are facing fierce opposition from the companies. As organized labor expands, auto manufacturing programs in the South are also moving to unionize.

The next major union vote will take place this week at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama, just days after a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee voted last month to join the United Auto Workers union.

The Hill has reached out to Apple for comment.