Apple Towson employees unhappy with speed of union talks

Representatives of the new Apple worker's union at the Towson retail store are publicly expressing concern that Apple may not be bargaining with unionized employees in good faith.

Workers at the Towson store successfully unionized in June 2022. Contract negotiations have been ongoing since January, with only two tentative agreements reached after six sessions.

The International Association of Machinists union's negotiator, Jay Wadleigh, has stated that the contract talks with Apple are moving at a sluggish pace.

A union negotiator and Apple Towson worker, Kevin Gallagher, told The Baltimore Banner that Apple's approach felt like a "slap in the face."

The committee expressed dissatisfaction with Apple's decision to selectively share contract proposals with its store employees across the country. Additionally, during negotiations, Apple requested that the proceedings be kept private and not extensively publicized or recorded.

Earlier this week, the union posted a Twitter thread stating that Apple had denied several proposals made by the bargaining committee. These proposals included the implementation of a grievance protocol, scheduling procedures, and a seniority system.

We hope that this thread has been helpful in understanding what has really been proposed, and we welcome any questions you may have. Stay tuned for future updates regarding our economic proposals and any further developments.

As a final thought...
27/28
— acoreunion (@acoreunion) April 26, 2023

Gallagher is concerned that Apple may be employing stalling tactics. He believes that one of the only significant positive developments came in early April when negotiators tentatively agreed to establish a health and safety committee — a core reason the store organized in the first place.

Apple and the union have also reached agreements regarding addressing topics like pay errors and non-discrimination policies.

The committee is now trying to progress negotiations with Apple, addressing "economic issues," such as pay and severance discussions.

Apple has opposed the unionization of its retail stores and has cited the Towson store incident as a cautionary example.

14 Comments

9secondkox2 8 Years · 3148 comments

About 1 year ago

Apple doesn’t have to agree to those negotiations. The union can push as hard as they want and apple is free to say no to what they push for.

It’s crazy that class-action bullying is legal in the corporate sector.

applebynature 9 Years · 119 comments

9secondkox2 said:

Apple doesn’t have to agree to those negotiations. The union can push as hard as they want and apple is free to say no to what they push for.
It’s crazy that class-action bullying is legal in the corporate sector.

Wow that's certainly a hot take. You must be a Mr Big CEO making the $millions, fully entrenched in western late stage capitalism, bootlicker to the oligarchs who don't give a single F about you. So nice of you to shill for the largest corporation in the whole of human history, who's sole purpose is to make more money for the shareholders.

You're certainly right in that Apple is free to say no to what the union wants. But to simp for the "corporate sector" being "bullied" by a "class action". WOW what a spicy characterization. You want unions outlawed because those poor corporations don't stand a chance if they give their peasant workers any rights or respect, huh? Poor poor Apple, HOW DARE their workers try to negotiate for better working conditions/benefits/pay.

Honestly F Apple for continuing to be so hostile to their workers and their legally protected union activities.

macxpress 16 Years · 5913 comments

It'll be interesting to see how well these unions are playing out for everyone a couple years from now.

chadbag 13 Years · 2029 comments

applebynature said:

9secondkox2 said:

Apple doesn’t have to agree to those negotiations. The union can push as hard as they want and apple is free to say no to what they push for.
It’s crazy that class-action bullying is legal in the corporate sector.

fully entrenched in western late stage capitalism, .

That’s all I needed to read to skip to the next comment. Totally ignorant of economics.

And an aside: of course the union is going to claim Apple is stalling. It’s part of the unions pressure tactics to get what they wanted. The union wanted an adversarial relationship — it got one and needs to live in the bed it made.

applebynature said:

9secondkox2 said:

Apple doesn’t have to agree to those negotiations. The union can push as hard as they want and apple is free to say no to what they push for.
It’s crazy that class-action bullying is legal in the corporate sector.

Wow that's certainly a hot take. You must be a Mr Big CEO making the $millions, fully entrenched in western late stage capitalism, bootlicker to the oligarchs who don't give a single F about you. So nice of you to shill for the largest corporation in the whole of human history, who's sole purpose is to make more money for the shareholders.

You're certainly right in that Apple is free to say no to what the union wants. But to simp for the "corporate sector" being "bullied" by a "class action". WOW what a spicy characterization. You want unions outlawed because those poor corporations don't stand a chance if they give their peasant workers any rights or respect, huh? Poor poor Apple, HOW DARE their workers try to negotiate for better working conditions/benefits/pay.

Honestly F Apple for continuing to be so hostile to their workers and their legally protected union activities.

LOl. Speaking of hot takes. That’s ridiculous. It’s just the way it is. A union is free to push and apple is free to push back. Ultimately all a union is - is a class negotiator.

For the uneducated, “corporate sector” refers to an operating space. The actual corporation is made of hard working people who have sacrificed to make the company what it is, providing jobs for so mss as my. The fact that apple is so profitable has to do with how well cared for and managed it is. That’s a good thing.

it’s not an us vs them mentality. It’s what is right vs entitled vampires.

It’s not as if apple is done draconian evil. They pay well and treat workers well. They don’t owe the unions anything.

Unions are leeches sucking the life out of companies for the enrichment of union bosses who literally do nothing more than fight to leech from enterprises.

Oh. By the way, capitalism is great thing. It’s why America is s global superpower and why anyone who works hard and smart has a shot at the dream.

Socialism and communism create the economic beatdowns you see all over the world. No. Thank. You.