Saturday, June 18, 2022

Apple employees at Maryland store vote to unionize, a first for the tech giant in U.S.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers' president called the vote a "historic victory" for labor.
An Apple store in Maryland

June 18, 2022
By Dennis Romero

Employees of an Apple store in Towson, Maryland, have voted in favor of union representation, a first for the tech giant in the United States.

A majority of store employees voted to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, or IAM, according to the union.

The vote tally, which was announced Saturday, was 65-33 according to IAM.

The mall-based store outside of Baltimore is the first Apple location in the U.S. to unionize.

The IAM on Saturday described the vote as one for history as workers seek representation, often unsuccessfully, in the tech field.

“I applaud the courage displayed by CORE members at the Apple store in Towson for achieving this historic victory,” IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. said in a statement.

“I ask Apple CEO Tim Cook to respect the election results and fast-track a first contract for the dedicated IAM CORE Apple employees in Towson,” he said.

The Towson Town Center store employees recently paired up with the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees to send a letter to Cook “informing him of the decision to organize,” according to the union’s statement.

The letter implores Cook not to use the resources of one of the world's most valuable companies to "engage in an anti-union campaign to dissuade us."

Apple has so far opposed unionization of its stores. The company had no comment about the vote.

Apple will be required to bargain with the union after the National Labor Relations Board certifies the votes.


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