Apple accused of anti-union tactics at Cumberland Mall retail location

Posted:
in General Discussion
Apple retail workers in Atlanta have accused the company of violating the National Labor Relations Act and countering an ongoing union drive at an Apple Store location in the city.

Apple Cumberland Mall
Apple Cumberland Mall


Staffers who work at the Cumberland Mall Apple Store claim that the Cupertino tech giant is holding captive audience meetings, a controversial tactic requiring workers to attend anti-union meetings.

On Tuesday, the Communications Workers of America filed an unfair labor practice reporting the alleged activity, The Verge has reported. While the NLRB has allowed captive audience meetings until the last 24 hours before an election, the board has recently suggested that they could violate the National Labor Relations Act.

The company has previously circulated anti-union materials to some store mangers, and has hired well-known anti-union lawyers to respond to the Atlanta union campaign. It is also posting notes in certain retail stores outlining its employee benefits and commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Apple Cumberland Mall is one of several sites across the U.S. where Apple retail staffers are organizing to unionize. Workers at NYC Grand Central are also working to form a union.

Workers are arguing for increased compensation, benefits, and store health protocols during the pandemic. Apple, for its part, has taken steps to increase pay and benefits for its retail employees in an effort to retain workers in an increasingly tough labor market.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    bloggerblogbloggerblog Posts: 2,462member
    How come unions are not accused of anti-norm tactics?
    Working with unions in the past they're not as great as they're made to be. Right now it's an employee market and corps are bending over backwards to onboard talent and not lose their current talent, but unions are taking advantage of the situation.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    JFC_PAJFC_PA Posts: 932member
    Good. Informed decisions lrequire everything be discussed, including the negatives of much of unionization. 
    FileMakerFellerbeowulfschmidt
  • Reply 3 of 7
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    Here are simple facts from wikipedia about unions in the US and worldwide. I was surprised to see how low union membership is in the US. I was also surprised to see that support for unions (in the US) was about three times what the actual union rate was.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    darkvaderdarkvader Posts: 1,146member
    JFC_PA said:
    Good. Informed decisions lrequire everything be discussed, including the negatives of much of unionization. 

    The only negatives of unionization are for corporations.  For workers there are only positives.

  • Reply 5 of 7
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    darkvader said:
    JFC_PA said:
    Good. Informed decisions lrequire everything be discussed, including the negatives of much of unionization. 
    The only negatives of unionization are for corporations.  For workers there are only positives.
    That's a provocative statement, and unjustified. If you cared to explain yourself I would listen.

    If unions somehow managed to get a minimum wage of $25/hour for all workers, there would be no jobs to find. How is that good for workers? It's good only for the people who have jobs. Shouldn't we also care about the people who need jobs? It doesn't sound like you care about the unemployed.
    muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 6 of 7
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    darkvader said:
    JFC_PA said:
    Good. Informed decisions lrequire everything be discussed, including the negatives of much of unionization. 
    The only negatives of unionization are for corporations.  For workers there are only positives.
    That's a provocative statement, and unjustified. If you cared to explain yourself I would listen.

    If unions somehow managed to get a minimum wage of $25/hour for all workers, there would be no jobs to find. How is that good for workers? It's good only for the people who have jobs. Shouldn't we also care about the people who need jobs? It doesn't sound like you care about the unemployed.
    There are jobs for nearly anyone who wants to work now, with some positions unable to find candidates. Some percentage have no interest in a regular job, and haven't for so long that they are not even counted in the unemployment numbers. There is no lack of jobs, just lack of willing workers.
    ronn
  • Reply 7 of 7
    pbenniepbennie Posts: 2member
    I have worked retail for years, Apple is perhaps the best work environment, pay scale and benefit package I have ever seen. The idea to unionize, in my opinion, is foolish. the old saying is true, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”. What is driving this? Greed? Feelings of entitlement? Greedy Union coffers? Love to hear the REAL back story on what is motivating this. 
    Dogperson
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