Subject: The Notoriously Secretive Apple Faces Some Increasingly Public Union Organizing Activity: LRI INK

June 2, 2022

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The Notoriously Secretive Apple Faces Some Increasingly Public Union Organizing Activity

by Kimberly Ricci

As a tech giant, Apple’s operating systems aim to be like a fortress and, more often than not, the company succeeds at that goal. In their retail stores, however, Apple’s workforce isn’t impenetrable. Whispers of organizing among employees proved to be real earlier this year. In other words, the union-secret is out for Apple’s retail stores, and the past few months show that no workplace remains invulnerable to union activity.

 

In an attempt to curb this budding trend among its stores (only four so far among 272 in the U.S.), Apple outlined a plan to bump up retail starting pay to $22 per hour (a hike of at least two dollars). Yet the organizing trend, reportedly, continues to spread through online forums not hosted by Apple, and there appears to be no unified method to the madness, given that at least three unions gained traction at four Apple retail stores.

 

Here are the latest reported developments at those stores with a “younger” twist at the recently added fourth location:

  1. Atlanta, Georgia: Workers at Cumberland Mall hoped to claim the first organized U.S. Apple store. They filed for a vote to form the Apple Workers Union under the Communication Workers of America’s CODE-CWA (Coalition to Organize Digital Employees) mission. This week, however, organizers pulled their vote bid while pointing towards a Covid-19 wave among employees. The organizers also allege that Apple engaged in unfair labor practices (by holding “captive audience meetings,” which are also under NLRB fire) that could impact an election;

  2. Towson, Maryland: Employees began to organize through the International Association of Machinists and form CORE, the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees. The store’s workers plan to vote in mid-June;

  3. Manhattan, New York: The Grand Central Terminal store became ground central for the Workers United arm of the SEIU to try and add to their recent Starbucks wins. These Apple retail employees seek a $30 or greater minimum wage;

  4. Louisville, Kentucky: In late May, workers – who are thus far not affiliated with any union in particular – publicized their organizing campaign. This drive attributes its existence to a 20-year-old retail employee who’s citing pandemic burnout, pay rates, and employee disconnection from Apple’s emphasis on metrics as a measure of success.

 

As that last entry indicates, younger organizers can be behind these headline-making organizing drives. In fact, a 19-year-old UC Santa Cruz freshman, who’s now setting his sights upon running for a state lawmaker position, helmed the first drive at California Starbucks cafes. Within his political campaign, he’s describing himself as a “pro-worker worker,” and he’s counting upon the older generations to write him off as a contender. 

 

Here are a few final odds and ends for this organizing roundup: 

  • Chipotle Mexican Grill workers gathered with an SEIU local to demand a $20 minimum wage in New York City. New York State Senator Jessica Ramos joined the rally; subsequently, law enforcement reportedly arrested Ramos and at least  10 Chipotle workers;

  • Hundreds of Planned Parenthood Workers (including nurses) in five states (Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and the Dakotas) announced their intent to organize under the SEIU, which already represents workers at Planned Parenthood locations in New York, D.C., Oregon, and Washington state.

  • Workers at Seven Seas Entertainment, an independent publishing house based in Los Angeles, announced their intent to form the first manga union in the U.S. (in collaboration with the CWA). The workers asked for recognition as the United Workers of the Seven Seas and filed for a union vote.

  • About 100 Aramark dining and catering service workers (including baristas) at Western Kentucky University declared their intent to unionize with the SEIU, which is a continued sign that the restaurant industry (although difficult to organize due to high turnover) continues to see increased union activity.

Save the date!  Another virtual Approachable Leadership open workshop is on the way.  

The three sessions for the workshop are June 28, 29, and 30, starting at 1pm CST each day. 

 

If you’ve hosted the workshop over the last year or so and have new leaders who have not yet experienced the workshop, this is a great opportunity for them to catch up. The cost is $249 per leader. 

If you are considering introducing this Workshop to your team for the first time and would like to give it a test run, please email Stephanie for a complimentary seat. We would love to see you there!

 

Here’s the link for new leaders to enroll: Click Here, and here’s Stephanie’s email:  somalley@lrionline.com

Links

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Union Bailout

 

NLRB General Counsel Pushes For Significant Restrictions On Employer Rights

https://lri.link/3a8Re0d

 

The NLRB Is Actively Using the Strongest Weapon In Its Arsenal – Quick Injunctions

https://lri.link/3wYiian 

 

'Any Person' May File Unfair Labor Practice Charges With The NRLB 

https://lri.link/3lVi0Mm

 

Employers Barred From Restarting Workers' Bids to Boot Unions 

https://lri.link/3lY0yag

 

Sneak Peek at Union Access Arguments In Labor Board Advice Memo 

https://lri.link/3M2sbJu

 

Quality Elevated Over Speed In New NLRB Case Handling Directive 

https://lri.link/3N53AFl

 

Elon Musk and His Anti-Union Tweet: NLRB Rules Explained

https://lri.link/3wZJYga

 

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Union Corruption

 

Former Treasurer of The Detroit Fire Fighters Union Sentenced To Prison For Stealing Over $200,000 In Union Funds

https://lri.link/3axwUWP

 

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Manufacturing

 

UAW Pushed To Represent Battery Plant Workers In Ohio

https://lri.link/3wX3bOB

 

UAW Official Warns 'We Can’t Assume' Electric Workers Will Bring Good Jobs https://lri.link/3POndDx

 

Stellantis, Samsung To Invest $2.5B, Create 1,400 Jobs At Indiana EV Battery Plant

https://lri.link/3x0s0Ju

 

Autoworker Union Accuses GM Joint Venture Of Denying Access To Organize Workers

https://lri.link/3MkxIeZ

 

CT Employee Unions Eyeing Arbitration To Secure Pandemic Pay

https://lri.link/3t6LmLF

 

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Healthcare

 

Los Angeles Physicians Vote to Authorize Strike

https://lri.link/3GCSPYD

 

Nursing Home Workers Rally at Harrisburg

https://lri.link/3wZmQhP

 

Pa. Long-Term Care Advocates Warn of Another Crisis on The Way, Due To Underfunding

https://lri.link/3M0sTHp

 

Sacramento Healthcare Workers Demand Creation of Quality Standards Board

https://lri.link/38wj32e

 

Hundreds Of Sacramento Nursing Home Workers March Across Tower Bridge 

https://lri.link/3aApTVj

 

Mental Health Workers Strike at Three Twin Cities Hospitals, Citing Unsafe Working Conditions

https://lri.link/3z2dgfM 

 

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Labor Around The World

 

U.S. Weighs Labor Probe Into Stellantis Mexico plant, Mexican Officials Say

https://lri.link/3lVfgP6


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Contributing editors for this issue: Phillip Wilson, Greg Kittinger, and Kimberly Ricci 


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About Labor Relations Institute

LRI exists to help our clients thrive and become extraordinary workplaces. We improve the lives of working people by strengthening relationships with their leaders and each other. For over 41 years LRI has led the labor and employee relations industry, driven by our core values and our proven process, the LRI Way.

 

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