Second Apple Store gets a union election date
source link: https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/4/23056187/apple-second-store-union-election-petition-retail
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Employees at Apple’s Towson Town Center may soon be voting on whether to unionize.Image: Apple
Employees at Apple’s Towson Town Center store in Maryland will begin their union election on June 15th, after filing a request with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) earlier this month. The store is the second to schedule an election. In April, employees from an Apple Store in Atlanta filed their own petition to hold a union election, which Apple recently agreed to. That vote is set to start on June 2nd.
The election in Maryland will take place over four days, and voting will be in-person.
On May 3rd, organizers at the store announced their intentions to unionize with the IAMAW. The group of employees calls itself AppleCORE, with CORE standing for Coalition of Organized Retail Employees. According to a report from The Washington Post, they want to have a greater say in decisions about their pay, hours, and the coronavirus safety measures at their store.
In a letter to Tim Cook, the group said that it had support from “a solid majority” of the workers at the store. The NLRB requires that at least 30 percent of employees support a union election before it tries to negotiate terms for the vote between the company and employees. (If the two parties, in this case, Apple and AppleCORE, don’t agree, the regulator will hold a hearing.)
It’s likely the employees at Towson Town Center won’t be the last to file for a union election. Last month, employees at Apple’s Grand Central Terminal store in New York began collecting signatures they can use to show interest in a vote to the NLRB.
Update May 20th, 11:45AM ET: Added the date for the election.
There are 8 comments.
Does AppleCORE (kind of a silly name IMO) have a charter or document explaining how their union is to be set up and function?
I’m of the belief a seasoned Apple Store employee should be able to support themselves with their job. That said, how does it work for new employees? Will they have an "apprenticeship" program where employees learn the ropes for a lower wage until they can prove they know their stuff like an electrician apprenticeship works? I ask because I walked into an Apple store and was asking about some detailed specs of a machine, and the best the sales associate could do was read the plaque next to the device. I don’t think this person and the person and someone who’s been there for years and knows every spec of a product in their sleep should make the same.
Posted on May 4, 2022 | 6:07 PM
If only that’s how jobs worked, especially sales associates. I found out the hard way people think tenure means you get paid more and less so you know more. I’m in no way saying most people don’t know their job but sometimes the bare minimum is what get people through a day. I only chose to know more to do less (funny how that works), and most people knew the bare minimum to not get fired.
The person you’re referring to that couldn’t tell you much passed reading the plaque could still have been someone that’s worked there long enough and could care less. Even worse could be Apple policy to give you the bare minimum. (some jobs just aren’t worth some peoples extra effort but I sadly live by the notion you either be the best at whatever you’re doing or don’t do it at all)
I’ve also never really walked into an Apple Store (or any store for that matter) without knowing exactly what I’m getting and would opt for getting it online should they not have exactly what I’m looking for. I also hate sales associates, or just don’t want their help unless it’s making a payment.
Posted on May 4, 2022 | 9:05 PM
Presumably more senior people would get raises above the base rate of pay that reflect additional knowledge and experience. I don’t think they’re advocating for everyone’s wages to be identical.
Posted on May 20, 2022 | 12:46 PM
I worked for a union and the pay scale was based on:
1. years of work experience, and
2. years of education
For better or for worse, it was not based on merit or knowledge.
Posted on May 20, 2022 | 1:52 PM
The idea of a career Apple Store employee seems where this whole thing is off. To Apple, these people are simply human marketing devices targeted at select/affluent markets, promoting products that are sold, supported and maintained almost entirely though other channels.
Apple could close all its apple stores tomorrow and not only would their revenue be basically unchanged, opex would actually look better with the reduction of a large number of salaries and overhead.
All this to say even if they vote to unionize, what do they expect their leverage to be. There is literally nothing they can do (legally) to force concessions from Apple. Sure they can strike, but other than a few media outlets, hardcore union organizers and some people walking by the store…would anyone care? Apple knows that bad PR is a) a drop in bucket compared to all the bigger stuff they’re facing and b) it would be out of the news in a day.
Posted on May 20, 2022 | 1:06 PM
Based on a 2019 number, the amount of revenue that came in via the physical store was 31% of Apple’s revenue, so it for sure matters, and would likely be impacted if they suddenly shut down. At minimum it’s advertisement for their devices, and physical interaction does matter for some items. Additionally, for major purchases, it can create incentive for service purchases, like AppleCare. Someone advertising it probably leads to more purchases than if it’s just a checkbox on an online order.
Posted on May 20, 2022 | 1:30 PM
Someone advertising it probably leads to more purchases than if it’s just a checkbox on an online order.
Exactly. Just take 10 minutes to eavesdrop in on any Apple Store in the world. You will hear clueless users being upsold products or upgrades they don’t necessarily need (especially storage, RAM, and accessories) and buying them enthusiastically. The Apple Store has some of the most effective salespeople out there.
It’s also worth remembering that Apple Stores have the highest per square foot sales of pretty much any retailer. To such an extent that they get lucrative discounts on mall space because they are an "anchor" tenant that draws in buyers to other stores.
Posted on May 20, 2022 | 1:49 PM
Good luck to these brave organizers!
A company that makes $25 billion in profits can afford to pay their retail workers fairly. (And no, the existing wage of $18-21 is NOT an acceptable number in New York City. It’s a near-poverty wage.)
Posted on May 20, 2022 | 1:44 PM
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