Apple has recently made history by reaching a tentative collective bargaining contract with the first unionized company store in the country. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees, representing employees at a retail location in Maryland, announced a three-year deal on Friday evening. This groundbreaking agreement includes a pay increase of an average of 10% and additional benefits for workers.
The agreement between Apple and the union must be approved by approximately 85 employees at the store in Towson, Maryland. A vote is scheduled to take place on Aug. 6th. This deal comes after workers at the store previously authorized a strike in May due to unsuccessful negotiations with management over the past year.
The Maryland store is one of only two unionized Apple sites in the entire country. The employees at this location voted in favor of unionization in June 2022. This significant milestone occurred just a few months before workers at a second Apple store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, also unionized with the Communications Workers of America. However, the second store has not yet finalized a contract with the tech giant.
Unions have seen notable successes in recent years with headline-grabbing election wins at various companies across different industries. This includes victories at an Amazon warehouse in New York City, a Chipotle store in Michigan, and hundreds of Starbucks stores nationwide. Despite these wins, many unionized workers have struggled to secure contracts with their employers.
Apple’s agreement with the first unionized company store in the nation marks a significant milestone in the fight for workers’ rights. This deal highlights the power of collective bargaining and the importance of unions in advocating for fair wages and benefits for employees. While this victory is a step in the right direction, it also sheds light on the ongoing challenges faced by workers in securing fair and equitable treatment in the workplace.
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