Apple Store employees from Towson, Maryland, have been engaging in negotiations with the company for a union contract in downtown Baltimore this week. However, the workers are skeptical about Apple’s intentions in reaching a deal with its first unionized shop in the U.S. Kevin Gallagher, an Apple Store employee, expressed his frustration, stating that it feels like Apple is deliberately prolonging the negotiation process.
Gallagher and his pro-union colleagues achieved a significant victory last June when they voted in favor of joining the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). This victory follows a trend of high-profile union wins at previously non-union companies like Amazon, Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, and REI.
While the Apple Store workers face challenges in bargaining their first contract with a powerful employer that opposes unions, both sides have a lot at stake. A strong collective bargaining agreement could encourage Apple workers in other locations to consider unionizing. Besides the IAM, the Communications Workers of America have also formed a union at one of Apple’s retail stores in Oklahoma.
The workers express concern about Apple’s behavior during negotiations. Managers allegedly shared a few of the union’s proposals with non-union stores, taking them out of context to create a negative image of the union. The workers argue that these actions are an attempt to dismantle the union movement. Despite the workers’ proposal for transparent negotiations over Zoom for all employees to witness, Apple’s lawyer rejected the idea.
Other recently unionized companies have faced similar hurdles during their bargaining efforts. Starbucks, for example, has been in conflict with the union Workers United over remote negotiations, and Amazon challenged the union’s election results at its Staten Island warehouse. Deliberately drawing out the negotiation process is a common tactic used by employers to erode union support and potentially open up the possibility of decertification campaigns.
Negotiating a first contract poses unique challenges as there is no established framework to reference. Employers without unions are often reluctant to deviate from their existing policies for fear of setting precedents. Apple has already rejected the bargaining team’s proposal for a grievance procedure. The workers are still awaiting discussions on economic demands, such as minimum pay rates and annual percentage raises.
Overall, the process of negotiating a union contract can be lengthy, with an average duration of 465 days. It remains to be seen whether Apple is genuinely willing to come to an agreement with the unionized workers, but the employees are determined to improve their working conditions and see Apple as an opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of unionization.
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