Maryland Apple store workers vote 2-1 to unionize; may still face obstacles
The Towson, MD Apple store employees voted to unionize by a margin of 65-33 on Saturday, making it a historic moment as the first Apple store to do so. The vote to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers will next need to be certified by the National Labor Relations board, after which the union and Apple would negotiate a contract. In the meantime, Apple may still raise challenges to the process, by perhaps refusing to acknowledge the bargaining unit as appropriate, and that it withdraws recognition of the endeavor and no longer supports those in the bargaining unit. Negotiating a contract has many hurdles that the company can employ, but the pre-eminence of the technology giant's brand name may make things more difficult for Apple. The recent upsurge in pro-union activities across many industries can help union organizers point to this latest triumph at Apple as showing that even retail behemoths are able to be unionized, and Apple's prominence in traditional and social media may encourage workers, especially younger workers, to attempt union organizing.
See "Maryland Apple store workers vote 2-1 to unionize; may still face obstacles", Associated Press, NPR, June 21, 2022