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Apple

An Apple Store's Workers Just Successfully Voted to Unionize (cnn.com) 104

Posted by EditorDavid from the thinking-different dept.
CNN reports that Apple workers in Towson, Maryland have voted to form the first-ever labor union at one of Apple's U.S. stores: The landmark union election concluded on Saturday evening with 65 workers voting for the unionization and 33 against it, a nearly two-to-one margin in favor of the union, according to a preliminary tally from the National Labor Relations Board.

The victory for union organizers at the Apple store in the Towson Town Center, a mall near Baltimore, comes amid a broader wave of workplace activism that has emerged in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The US labor market has tipped much more strongly in favor of workers over the past two years. There are now roughly twice as many job openings as there are unemployed people looking for work, leaving employers scrambling to fill jobs... That has made employees who are dissatisfied with their jobs more willing to demand better working conditions, including through unionization.

The major issue driving the organizing vote was workers wanting to have a say in the way the store is run, said Christie Pridgen, a technical expert at the store and one of the organizers. Pridgen, 34, said she's worked at the store for more than 8 years. "Compensation is important, considering the cost of living in general and inflation, but the bigger thing is having a say," she told CNN Business Saturday night after the vote. "That was the most important thing to me." Pridgen said workers having a say in hours and scheduling and being involved in establishing safety protocols during the pandemic were the big issues. "We wanted a say in the policies that affect our lives," she said, adding that she wasn't surprised by the outcome of the vote, but was relieved.

"I knew I wasn't alone in being frustrated," she said.
"An Apple spokesperson declined to comment on the vote."
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An Apple Store's Workers Just Successfully Voted to Unionize More

An Apple Store's Workers Just Successfully Voted to Unionize

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  • Hmmm ... (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Freischutz ( 4776131 )
    The way the free market in the US works is:

    Big corporations merging and ganging up on workers == Good.
    Workers uniting and ganging up on corporations == Bad.

    • For social darwinists, it makes perfect sense.

      Remember: U.S. society is based on social darwinism.

      • Re:Hmmm ... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Freischutz ( 4776131 ) on Sunday June 19, 2022 @01:11PM (#62633786)

        For social darwinists, it makes perfect sense.

        Remember: U.S. society is based on social darwinism.

        As a social Darwinist you should favour every actor doing what is best for themselves, not fix the Darwinistic system to favour some actors that you deem more worthy while artificially suppressing others you don’t like. Complete freedom for everyone to compete is the essence of a free market system and that includes the right of workers to pool their resources. Anything else is hypocrisy.

        • social Darwinists should, but social Darwinism is on the whole based on gross misunderstandings of evolution.

          It's people obsessing over their own pet ideas of strength and individualism, thinking that the point of evolution is to make better, i.e. faster, stronger, more aggressive wolves, and well obviously top predators after the strongest/fittest, right?

          Naturally such pseudoscientific gibberish can be used to support whatever biases or outright bigotry you like.

          Ants are of course more successful than all

        • NLRB regs make that impossible.

      • What? No it isn't. Logically it can't be given that Darwin wasn't even born until what, around 15 years after the Constitution was ratified? And the "Progressive" notion of Social Darwinism didn't arise and die until the early 20th century.

    • It's hardly workers uniting, at least not for those workers who didn't want work in a union shop. For workers who don't want this, it's more akin to being conscripted.

  • Just what Apple needed... (Score:2, Insightful)

    by kenh ( 9056 )

    ...entry-level "experts" to help run the local store.

    The major issue driving the organizing vote was workers wanting to have a say in the way the store is run, said Christie Pridgen, a technical expert at the store and one of the organizers.

    Drawing a paycheck on the sales floor for 8 years and not entering management (apparently), doesn't necessarily qualify one to manage any aspect of the store. This reminds me of "Noodle Store Boy" from the Occupy Wall Street era that went viral complaining that his bosses demanded he dress a certain way, arrive at a certain time, prepare the food a certain way, etc...

    I can't wait to see the workers nirvana they create in Towson, MD - it should be interest

    • Re:Just what Apple needed... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by jacks smirking reven ( 909048 ) on Sunday June 19, 2022 @12:37PM (#62633692)

      Are you really making the claim, on Slashdot no less, that every person in management is there purely because they are supremely qualified to perform the job and their decision making is above reproach by the tautological fact that they are in the position of management?

      • Re:Just what Apple needed... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by crmarvin42 ( 652893 ) on Sunday June 19, 2022 @12:47PM (#62633716)
        I've never wished I had mod points more than after reading this burn.

        Frankly surprised it has taken this long for Apple Store employees to unionize. They operate one of the highest revenue per square foot retail chains in the country, and from my friends who've worked there the pay isn't that much better than other retail jobs. All of Apple's rhetoric about caring about people goes out the window if they don't negotiate in good faith with the union. It's easier to ignore worker abuse when the workers are in a different country, and speak a different language. Something altogether different when the workers live in your neighborhood and went to HS with you.
        • Union will destroy apple stores. The workers will stop helping people or busting their butt because they will get the same raises as everyone else and it becomes very difficult to fire anyone. This will benefit the lazy while the hard workers will leave where they can get the pay they deserve.
          • Maybe, but I doubt it. Your comments read as partisan rhetoric on unions in general, and not particularly relevant to this particular union and this particular employer.

            Apple stores are not struggling to cover expenses. They can afford to increase the compensation of everyone at the store by a fairly significant amount and still be wildly profitable. That is the benefit of being one of the highest revenue per square foot retail stores at the mall, combined with selling electronics hardware with industry le
            • But do you understand with unions all the people doing the same work get paid exactly the same and get the same raises. A stand-out employee cannot get an extra dollar/hr after a good annual review. Unions force everyone to make the same. I am non partisan but I have worked in 3 union environments and the good workers always end up angry and leaving.
              • Do you realize that every union negotiates its own union contract, and merit based pay can be a part of that compensation agreement if the union members and management both want it?

                Do you realize that a stand out employee may be perceived as a stand out employee for things unrelated to actual job performance (nepotism, racism, sexism, benefit of circumstance). In fact, that is an often overlooked part of the history behind the enshrinement of tipping in US service jobs. White employers didn't want to pay
                • If you ever get the chance, please get a job in any union environment for 6 months and see if you still feel the way you do

                  • If you ever get the chance, please get a job in any union environment for 6 months and see if you still feel the way you do

                    I've worked precisely one union job, where participation was mandatory. It was infuriating seeing people being paid more than me (pay scales were published and public information), to produce damned near nothing. Enough work to stay within the rules, but not enough to actually matter. I was busting my butt adding new skills, only to be scolded and told I couldn't do certain things because it didn't fall under my job description. Got my ass chewed once for buying a $20 monitor cable to put a public facing

                  • Ah, there you go making assumptions.

                    while I have never worked for a union, I have worked places that were unionized. Simply put, my position was not union eligible.

                    I have seen the good and the bad of unions up close. Workers who didnâ(TM)t want to do the extra work, but also wouldnâ(TM)t let anyone else do it either because the work was covered by the union contract. Iâ(TM)ve also seen management waste money on pointless shit, while underfunding maintenance of equipment, and try to fire t

        • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

          by Asynchronously ( 7341348 )

          > They operate one of the highest revenue per square foot retail chains in the country, and from my friends who've worked there the pay isn't that much better than other retail jobs.

          Why is this a reason that they should be paid more? You just said they are getting market rate for their jobs. Explain how getting market rate is "unfair".

          Retail jobs are low skill entry level jobs and should pay accordingly.

          • Read up on the history of the labor movement. This is precisely why unions exist. To ensure a more adequate distribution of wealth Between management and workers.

            and you are absolutely wrong about the lack of skill involved in Apple Store labor. Everyone Iâ(TM)ve known who worked there was highly skilled in some aspect of computer use/service.

            • Unions came to be because of hazardous job conditions, long hours and minuscule pay. That was a real problem that needed to be fixed. The unions did what they needed to do and were a success. Since that time, they've become a leach that only exists for the sake of the unions, their executives, and the political party they send worker's dues to.

              A large percentage of today's youth that grew up with computers and electronic devices in their homes are all skilled in some aspect of computer use/service. It's

            • Unions came into existence for many reasons. To make sure workers had safe working conditions, could not be forced to work unreasonable hours, eliminate child labor, and fight for increased wages. Those goals were achieved and now they have to invent new reasons to continue taking dues to enrich the unions organizers and leaders.

              I have my own anecdotal evidence about Apple Store workers. I have personally known several that had little to no computer use/service skills.

              • Fight for increased wages

                what are we arguing about, precisely? These workers are insanely profitable for Apple, and a union can help them get an arguably fairer distribution of the proceeds. Some of unions work can be said to be âoeDoneâ, but defending wages is a purpose that never ends. Inflation decreases the value of that salary, and employers try to hold wages down to prop up profits. Unions help ensure wages rise at a rate more in line with inflation.

                if the minimum wage had kept up with i

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by N1AK ( 864906 )

          They operate one of the highest revenue per square foot retail chains in the country, and from my friends who've worked there the pay isn't that much better than other retail jobs.

          Honest question: Do you think if you swapped the staff from an Apple Store in a Target that the Target store would become one of the hiest revenue per square foot retail chains? Apple seems to do a relatively good job of hiring and training decent retail staff, they also offer better than average compensation, but the staff aren't

          • By your own admission, they already do pay "better than average compensation. Why do you think they do that? Out of the goodness of their hearts?

            No, they do that because there is profit in it for them. Lower churn, higher quality employees, employees who seem happier when interacting with customers. There is profit in well compensated employees, so long as you have the gross margin to keep them well compensated, and yourself still profitable.

            Stop looking at this from the perspective of what they "deserve

      • Are you really making the claim, on Slashdot no less, that every person in management is there purely because they are supremely qualified to perform the job and their decision making is above reproach by the tautological fact that they are in the position of management?

        Don't forget the pointy hair!

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by tomhath ( 637240 )
        No, he's making the claim that some guy stuck in a minimum wage job for 8 years doesn't suddenly become management material because he voted to join a union with 64 of his friends.
      • As silly a claim as that would be, I don't see it being made in any way whatsoever.

        What I would say is that if you want to make managerial decisions, you should apply for a managerial role. Don't try to run the store from behind the support desk, just do your own job.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      Many of the most successful companies allow even the lowest level employees to have a say in how the business is run. Toyota is a classic example. If anyone in the company, from the part time cleaner upwards, has a suggestion, it will be listened to. That has lead directly to improvements on the production line, for example.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by kenh ( 9056 )

        Your example makes no sense. The comparison to Apple would be Toyota fielding "input" from any worker at aToyota dealership - we're talking about retail workers.

        I bet if you go back to the article you read on Toyota you'd find that Toyota takes job-related input from workers - the line worker that comes up with a better work flow for their station on the assembly line, they don't field product design decisions from the janitor.

        I suspect Apple Stores aren't so poorly managed that random retail workers have i

  • We'll hear of an unprofitable outlet and a closure pretty dang sure :)

    You know how it goes .. Store with unionised employees , unsatisfied customers , sales numbers on the decline for years and unreasonable rent ..
    A soon to be closed store. Smells like it ;)

  • Management Failure (Score:3)

    by Lije Baley ( 88936 ) on Sunday June 19, 2022 @12:40PM (#62633700)

    This shouldn't have been necessary, but management techniques seem to be lagging the labor market, resulting in some companies having to learn "the hard way". It seems that management culture is still stuck in the post dot-com bust "there's always another worker, never give an inch" and "it's not you, it's them" mentalities. For companies like Apple and Starbucks, which still may be "dream jobs" for some people, this may take longer to come to a head.

    Competent managers can at least provide a convincing illusion of listening to their workers, instead of just keeping their chests puffed up all the time.

  • Next up (Score:3)

    by Chas ( 5144 ) on Sunday June 19, 2022 @12:42PM (#62633706) Homepage Journal

    Apple closing "unprofitable" stores

  • If I were Apple, I would just close the store for a month. Hire new people, and re-open it a few weeks later with new employees. Problem solved.

    Not saying I do or do not agree with unions. Just pointing out the simplicity of solving this from Apple's standpoint.

    • And if your new group of employees also votes to unionize? Civilized countries would have worker protections in place to prevent employees being fired because Apple got their feefees hurt.

    • Having voted to unionize, this would be illegal - those laws against retribution still exist, even if enforcement takes a ridiculous amount of court time.

      • Having voted to unionize, this would be illegal - those laws against retribution still exist, even if enforcement takes a ridiculous amount of court time.

        That's not true. The employer may eliminate their jobs and replace them unless they are striking over "unfair labor practices". Unfair labor practices has strict definitions and would most certainly not apply in this case based on their reasons for forming the union.

      • I would shut down that store entirely and not reopen it at all. It is a business decision, good luck forcing a company to keep q location open.

    • That is the game to be played but there is a lot of negatives to that source of action:

      - Possible NLRB infractions
      - You lose the revenue of that store for weeks.
      - Customers who don't know whats happening show up to a closed location and they will hear "Closed because we fired everyone who had certain demands. Sorry for you, try again next month"
      - You have to hire and train what sounds like 90+ employees, which is all lost money to go through the HR process, money to pay them to train, weed through the loss

      • Now if you think that Apple could still do this and not suffer long term consequences I would probably agree with you, but anyone who think Apple could or should do that it means everyone who says there is a power imbalance between employers and employees is 1000% correct.

        I didn't say that I agreed with it or thought it was a good idea. All I said was this is a non-issue for Apple if they want it to be.

        • Sorry, I didn't mean to imply I was it that was your position. specifically, misplaced grammar on my part.

          Just that some people in regards to unions will both say "employers can just close the store or fire everyone and not suffer consequences" and on the other hand say "employers don't have any power advantage over their employees" and not see the obvious contradtiction.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by kenh ( 9056 )

        You assume that Apple product sales will suffer if this store closed - I contend fully 90% of store sales would simply migrate to Best Buy, Microcenter, or cell company stores, and online to Apple store or Amazon.

        Apple stores don't drive sales, they offer support and list price accessories.

        • Absolutely not the case for Apples business model currently,

          At least as of a couple years ago from Apples own statements their retail stores make up around 31% of revenue, with each store pulling somewhere between $5-8 million per month.

          The guy who said Apple retail space performed the highest revenue of any store brand per square foot was not lying. Their stores are key to their image, their customer retention and their sales of products. And yes, part of that is the reputation they have built up around

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • You may have noticed that workers are in short supply. If they're going to close the store, it won't reopen.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by kenh ( 9056 )

      You can't just fire all the workers once a shop votes to go union, there are actual laws that protect them.

      The only card Apple has is to stonewall unreasonable demands. Employees can demand 25% pay raises, but company can refuse, and keep the status quo while continuing to negotiate. Eventually a decision will be reached, with a minor pay increase, a small change in management policies, and then the workers will start having union dues taken out of their paychecks, and the realization that after subtracting

  • The hens want to be in charge of the henhouse. I believe Foghorn Leghorn will have something to say about that.

    • I'm guessing you never watched the cartoons: Foghorn was an idiot; a caricature of the southern privileged "aristocrat" who usually ended up bungling things. I don't want Foghorn in charge of my henhouse.

  • In other news...

    Apple HQ just announced another round of brick and mortar stores are closing their doors.

    Citing "lack of qualified candidates" and "They closed Admiral Hot Dog in the food court".

  • power balance (Score:4, Interesting)

    by bugs2squash ( 1132591 ) on Sunday June 19, 2022 @01:40PM (#62633868)

    it's interesting to me that the recent successes in unionization have come at a time when there is a general labor shortage, granting workers a little more power anyway. I imagine the unionization votes would have gone the other way if people were more fearful of losing their jobs over it, which is a sad reflection on people's ability to speak their minds in ordinary times.

    • I saw a sign in a SuperCuts window stating that everyone was short-staffed and that people should be patient.

      I agree, as a consumer: be patient

      Staffing can almost always be fixed by raising compensation . . . say to something that pays for the CURRENT price of groceries. So management: find a way to make it work - they raise the prices of everything else (sometimes including the cost of labor without a pay increase).

      • Staffing can almost always be fixed by raising compensation

        Raise wages to, say, $100 / hr - rhetorical - and you'd have a line of people around the corner willing to work. It never ceases to amaze me how business managers don't get this. It's like they're Gollum, and their profit percentages are their "precious." Chances are pretty good that if managers raised their wages, and provided a positive working environment, worker satisfaction would go up, and, correspondingly, their profits. But, no, we must not give up any of the precious.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by kenh ( 9056 )

          Do you also imagine customers lining up "around the corner" to pay the new prices higher wages demand?

          Imagine paying a Supercuts barber $25/hr instead of their current $15/hr (made up numbers). When Supercuts increases the price of a haircut $5, will all their current customers just pay the higher price or seek alternatives? Will the barbers still get the same tips they used to get, now that the price has gone up?

          The employer doesn't just "eat" the difference, either prices or productivity need to increase

          • When you compare the output / haircut of a person who's happy to be there, vs a haircutter who's only doing it because it was all they could find and it's minimum wage, I think, yes, people would accept the higher cost, because they feel like they're getting more than their money's worth.

            When I find a service provider - auto mechanic; health care; bike shop owner; waitress; etc - who provides me with superior service, I stick with them, regardless of the price. Within reason, of course. In fact, my prim

        • Staffing can almost always be fixed by raising compensation

          Raise wages to, say, $100 / hr - rhetorical - and you'd have a line of people around the corner willing to work. It never ceases to amaze me how business managers don't get this. It's like they're Gollum, and their profit percentages are their "precious." Chances are pretty good that if managers raised their wages, and provided a positive working environment, worker satisfaction would go up, and, correspondingly, their profits. But, no, we must not give up any of the precious.

          Another common sense example: if only 3 guys in the US did rooter work, you can bet they'd be flying on private jets and making money hand-over-fist.

          I always tend to think what I can do is nothing special. When I see people that make a LOT more than I do that don't understand tech basics, it gets me wondering what employers are thinking.

  • The Democrat's efforts to create enough economic carnage to resuscitate the labor movement seems to be going to plan.

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