NLRB certifies union election win for Apple Towson Town Center employees
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has certified the union election for more than 100 Apple store employees in Towson, Maryland.
Apple Towson Town Center
The union, known as Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (CORE), reached a clear majority vote on June 19. The vote passed 65 to 33.
Apple did not attempt to stop the union vote, and sources indicated that the company plans to participate in the bargaining process "in good faith."
According to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) website, the group will now be known as IAM-CORE. The official certification will pave the way for Apple management and IAM-CORE members to negotiate a first contract.
"The IAM and the new members of IAM-CORE in Towson, Md., look forward to bargaining with Apple and obtaining a strong first contract that makes positive changes for Apple workers and the customers they are proud to serve," said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan.
"IAM-CORE members feel that the opportunity to collectively bargain with Apple will enhance their workplace and continue to advance Apple's standing as one of the world's most innovative companies. IAM-CORE continues to organize from coast to coast to bring a greater voice on the job to Apple workers."
When originally announced, organizers within the store said they worked on getting support for almost a year. They coordinated with IAM to launch the union at the store.
It's not yet clear what the terms of the deal will be. Organizers at other stores stores have been pressing for an increase in the current starting pay of $20 per hour. Apple has since promised to pay $22 per hour.
Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien pushed back against recent unionization efforts at some of the company's brick-and-mortar locations in a new video to staff members. She has said that the efforts could slow workplace progress and potentially harm the relationship between Apple and its employees.
The tech giant was recently accused of violating the National Labor Relations Act and countering an ongoing union drive at Apple Cumberland Mall in Georgia.
Read on AppleInsider
Apple Towson Town Center
The union, known as Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (CORE), reached a clear majority vote on June 19. The vote passed 65 to 33.
Apple did not attempt to stop the union vote, and sources indicated that the company plans to participate in the bargaining process "in good faith."
According to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) website, the group will now be known as IAM-CORE. The official certification will pave the way for Apple management and IAM-CORE members to negotiate a first contract.
"The IAM and the new members of IAM-CORE in Towson, Md., look forward to bargaining with Apple and obtaining a strong first contract that makes positive changes for Apple workers and the customers they are proud to serve," said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan.
"IAM-CORE members feel that the opportunity to collectively bargain with Apple will enhance their workplace and continue to advance Apple's standing as one of the world's most innovative companies. IAM-CORE continues to organize from coast to coast to bring a greater voice on the job to Apple workers."
When originally announced, organizers within the store said they worked on getting support for almost a year. They coordinated with IAM to launch the union at the store.
It's not yet clear what the terms of the deal will be. Organizers at other stores stores have been pressing for an increase in the current starting pay of $20 per hour. Apple has since promised to pay $22 per hour.
Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien pushed back against recent unionization efforts at some of the company's brick-and-mortar locations in a new video to staff members. She has said that the efforts could slow workplace progress and potentially harm the relationship between Apple and its employees.
The tech giant was recently accused of violating the National Labor Relations Act and countering an ongoing union drive at Apple Cumberland Mall in Georgia.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Apple is committed to a retail presence and the sales from the stores alone are exceptional. Over the past twenty years or so, having retail stores has also allowed the company to demonstrate its products to people who would never have considered them, provide a consistent level of support and service, and conduct end user training for technologies they have developed. I'm certain that the dollar value of these "unquantifiable" activities has been estimated with good accuracy within the company.
I find it nearly unthinkable that Apple would give up all the benefits of its retail activities just because their HR processes get more complicated or more expensive. Or that the company would start treating its products like commodities in the way Amazon does, or treating customers like they are only interested in the technology and not the outcomes.
What workplace -- especially retail -- do you know of that is 100% positive 100% of the time?
That goes both ways. You can't just blame management, because there are in fact entitled children today who have no idea what a work ethic even is. Have you been out in the world? All you need is one extremely lazy and entitled person to stir the pot, especially if they have an infectious (poisonous) personality and bunch of naïve co-workers who "see" greener pastures in what they're being told.
Also, you don't have to work for a particular company to know that every work experience is different for every single individual. Work ethics vary from person to person. And expectations vary from company to company and even store to store sometimes. The managers of some of these stores might be tyrants and be the driving force of these unionizations. This happens in large corporations all the time when an employee can't relay their grievances to the proper "higher up" or doesn't know how.
Here's how I expect this to play out. Once unionized, the employees are "protected" - basically un-fireable - unless they really screw up egregiously and repeatedly. If they are a member of one of the "oppressed" groups - which seems to be just about everyone but straight white males nowadays - they'll be even more untouchable. What does this breed? Lazy employees. If you know you can't be touched, and that you gain nothing by working hard, giving a crap, providing excellent customer service, etc., many people just turn in to clock-punching drones, doing the bare minimum to hang onto the job. There's NO incentive for advancement, because the poor managers above these drones won't be paid much more, will be 100% accountable for their job performance, and will have to deal with the headaches that this type of employee provides on a constant basis. Nobody is motivated to do a good job because there's literally no incentive to do so. Will they be happier with this arrangement? Some will be. But those are the worst of them. The ones who actually care, want to do a good job, enjoy their time at work, etc., will be miserable to be surrounded with these unhappy people. When people around you are being paid the same you are, and don't pull their weight, that makes for a miserable work environment. I've seen it up close. And the customer experience? Will surely erode.
Working in retail is not a great career, unless it's something you REALLY enjoy and want to be successful and work your way up the ladder to some management position with good pay, profit sharing, better hours, etc. Bringing in the union will turn it into a career for those who just want to punch a clock, do the minimum to hang onto the job, and just survive. The best people will soon flee. Watch it unfold.
Also, anyone in the construction industry working in fire protection, hvac, electrical, and plumbing, or knows someone who does knows, what it can mean to work and learn. as a union apprentice over 3-5 years and as a journeyman afterwards. (No student debt at the end, very good pay, and even better opportunities in design or sales down the road). Further, note if you are in high school or junior college and you learn how to use AutoCad, Revit, and Navis well you will have a job on the spot in each of the four disciples. (working in BIM coordination, detailing, or design as a apprentice)
If the richest American company in the world can’t work it out? Who can?
As far as management goes they set the tone and set the pay. It starts with them and ends with them. Apple can and should do better its that simple. They expect it from their products as well as their people. They are so inclusive of people's rights but the biggest right is great pay, not ok pay. You show respect by giving people choices and that's what money does, it give you choices. Not having money forces things upon you that might not be in your best interest. In the end, it's good for everyone. Apple is a great company but they could do so much better on the people side for retail.