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Employees at the Apple Store in Towson, Maryland, the first Apple retail location to unionize, made history by voting in favour of authorizing a strike late Saturday.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE), representing the workers, announced the vote "underscores the frustrations among workers regarding unresolved workplace issues."
Employees at the Towson store have been negotiating with Apple since last year over concerns such as unpredictable scheduling and inadequate wages. The union's negotiating committee stated that the vote "sends a clear message to Apple" and demonstrates their commitment to advocating for workers' rights.
Apple responded by expressing its intention to "engage with the union representing our team in Towson respectfully and in good faith." A spokeswoman for the company emphasized Apple's dedication to providing an excellent experience for its retail team members and providing them with "industry-leading compensation and exceptional benefits."
The union has not yet announced a strike date.
Meanwhile, a unionization effort at the Apple Store in the Mall at Short Hills, New Jersey, failed on Saturday. The Communications Workers of America (CWA), the union involved, attributed the loss to Apple's alleged illegal union-busting tactics.
"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," the CWA said in a statement.
