Leaked documents display Apple's anti-union talking points to store leaders that it hopes will stamp out burgeoning retail worker unionization efforts.
As unionization efforts ramp up at Apple Stores across the U.S, Apple has begun providing managers with ways to dissuade organizing employees from attempting to form unions.
In a leaked document obtained by Motherboard, Apple has instructed store leaders to warn employees that they could lose career growth opportunities, personal time off, and merit-based promotions.
The document reads, "There are a lot of things to consider. One is how a union could fundamentally change the way we work."
Apple is pushing the narrative that a union prevents teamwork.
"What makes a store great is having a team that works together well," the document says. "Like so much about relationships. If we're going to work well, we've got to help each other, know if someone's under stress, know when someone needs some space, and be able to talk through and work problems out. That can't always happen when a union represents a store's team members."
Apple also calls efforts to unionize against the company's culture, and would make the store operations inherently less flexible.
"The way we work now, we understand and appreciate that we're all balancing our personal and work lives, and we try to make it work for you," the document continues. "A rigid union contract that must be followed at all times would make that very difficult."
Apple has yet to publicly decry unionization efforts, but the tech giant recently hired anti-union lawyers at Littler Mendelson.
Employees in Apple Stores across the U.S. have begun unionization efforts, citing that the low wages aren't enough to support themselves on.
Workers at an Apple Store in Atlanta, Georgia will vote on whether or not to unionize on June 2, just days before Apple's WWDC.
27 Comments
This is classic union busting strategy. Next, they’ll be hiring guys named Vito and Shark to walk outside an Apple store as employees leave.
I'll bet the Apple employees who vote for a union will still shop at Walmart.
But here's the rub...Apple's talking points in fact are not true. The culture could actually be enhanced if the company knew that it has to promote people based on merit as opposed to favoritism. Movement upwards in the company, especially at the retail level is challenging at best. Ask the company how many managers of color they have. I know for a fact that the store and market I used to work at had enough to maybe count on one hand, even when the percentage of lower-tier employee POC's is high. there is now a HUGE disconnect between what Apple preaches and may well practice at the corporate level and what actually happens at the retail level. Even if a union doesn't happen, having the company's feet held to the fire a little with even the THREAT can be a positive thing.
Come on, just raise the wage if you don’t want unions. Apple can afford it.