Apple Hit With Unfair Labor Practice Charge for Refusing to Transfer Unionized Towson Workers

[MacRumors]

The IAM Union representing Apple employees in Towson, Maryland today said that it is filing an Unfair Labor Practice charge [PDF] against Apple with the National Labor Relations Board. The union is accusing Apple of unlawful discrimination against unionized workers.

Earlier this month, Apple announced plans to close the Towson Apple Store alongside two other Apple locations in Connecticut and California. The Towson store was the first Apple retail location to unionize in the U.S. back in 2022.

With most store closures, employees are relocated automatically to nearby stores, but Apple said the union rules at the Towson location prevented it from moving the workers to other stores. Apple instead said that Towson employees are "eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement."

The IAM Union said at the time that it was "outraged" by Apple's decision, and that there was nothing in the agreement that prevented employees from being relocated. IAM said Apple's claim was false, and that it raised "serious concerns" that the closure was a "cynical attempt to bust the union."

In today's filing, the IAM Union complained that Apple allowed employees at two non-union stores to transfer to other locations, but forced Towson employees to reapply for positions through the same process as external candidates.

"This is about whether workers are treated fairly under the law or punished for exercising their rights," said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. "Apple is denying union-represented workers the same opportunities it is giving to others -- and doing so because these workers chose to organize. That is discrimination, and it is exactly what federal labor law is designed to prevent."

The union has asked Apple to reverse its decision and give Towson workers the same opportunity to transfer to other retail locations.

The three stores that Apple is closing are located in struggling shopping malls that are slowly shutting down and losing foot traffic.

Update: Apple has issued the following statement to MacRumors regarding the complaint:

We strongly disagree with the claims made, and we will continue to abide by the agreement that was negotiated and agreed with the union. We look forward to presenting all of the facts to the NLRB.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple Hit With Unfair Labor Practice Charge for Refusing to Transfer Unionized Towson Workers

 

[BC2009]

Umm... the agreement between Apple and the union clearly states that the store for transferring has to be within so many miles. The union failed to negotiate for their members (as per usual) although they gladly accepted the union dues. Not much of a leg to stand on. The union workers should be suing the union.

Apple is closing this store because the mall is failing -- they are hardly the first big-name brand to leave that mall.

 

[WilliApple]

Bud its a struggling shopping mall and you honestly made it hard for Apple to let employees transfer because those employees will fight those managers too to get paid the same amount. It just won't work, im sorry.

Im all for paying employees fairly but afaik, Apple Store employees make well above minimum wage, and I dont think standing around and selling computers and phones take that much effort. Genius, maybe but even then they just read stuff off their iPads and ship devices off to Texas.

 

[frenchcamp49er]

Not going to win and the union shouldn’t

 

[Chet-NYC]

Considering it's been four years since the store unionized and that malls dying is hardly a new thing around the country, I have a feeling the union is going to have a very hard time proving their case. All Apple needs to do is show evidence of decreasing sales and foot traffic at that store.

Note" As union member myself, I'm generally very pro union. I don't think they're perfect, but overall they have been a huge positive for the middle class in this nation and in other.s.

 

[neuropsychguy]

If this is true: "Apple said the union rules at the Towson location prevented it from moving the workers to other stores" then the union will lose this case. However, if Apple’s lawyers argue that they legally cannot grant Towson employees standard corporate relocation benefits because those benefits aren't explicitly in the contract, then I'm not sure the NLRB will like that very much.

I'm withholding any judgment until this issue is resolved.

 

[DocMultimedia]

I have no problem supporting unions, but the store is in a failing location. If the employees want to move to a new location or commute, they'll keep their job. Contracts are contracts.

 

[Edgecrusherr]

The best thing for employees would be to universally unionize all stores. It's interesting how people are anti-union, but are also probably struggling to pay their own bills in the economy where prices go up, large corporations, and billionaires make more money, and standard income stagnates at a rate lower than the cost-of-living increases. The USA and many other countries I've been exhibiting all the hallmarks of eventually economic collapse and depression.

 

[johnsc3]

Everything costs- the union failed the retail employees they should have saw that. It was just a cash grab for more union dues…- the employees should have saw this. Beyond the dying mall, anyone that thinks corp doesn’t keep score is sadly mistaken.

 

[KENESS]

This reeks of union leadership making a stink just to make it LOOK like they are fighting for their members.

To convince their members they are worth the union dues.

In fact, they failed miserably at their primary job of fighting for their members. They agreed to a contract with specific milage requirements and Apple is following that requirement they insisted on. Now they're all hot and bothered because they realize the contract they pushed and agreed to missed the mark.

Pro-union or anti-union is irrelevant here. Union leadership screwed up and are trying to bluster their way out of it.

 

[I7guy]

The union is negotiating in bad faith. Whoda thunk?

 

[lapstags]

Are you weirdos that hate unions millionaires?

 

[iObama]

It’s really sad to see the state of our education system in this thread. Reagan’s trickle-down, anti-union mythology has won out.

 

[TheOldChevy]

Maybe I miss something, but how far is "employees are relocated automatically" different from "eligible to apply for open roles at Apple" ? I would expect that in both cases this needs agreement between employee and employer and this is limited to open positions.

 

[no_idea]

All unions ever do is complain. It’s never good enough

 

[DamFu]

Genuinely curious as I have no experience with unions. If Apple were to transfer those employees to another store, I assume there is a limit in distance they would be willing to move them to. But let's say there is a store within that mark and all the employees elected to transfer. What does that mean to the employees at the new store that are not unionized? I would not think it is realistic to expect Apple maintains double the staff presence at the alternate location so how is that managed? Assuming the "new" store is not unionized, what does that mean for the employees transferring there? Would the new store be held to the same union rules even though it is not unionized?

 

[The_Gream]

Bud its a struggling shopping mall and you honestly made it hard for Apple to let employees transfer because those employees will fight those managers too to get paid the same amount. It just won't work, im sorry.

Im all for paying employees fairly but afaik, Apple Store employees make well above minimum wage, and I dont think standing around and selling computers and phones take that much effort. Genius, maybe but even then they just read stuff off their iPads and ship devices off to Texas.

Couple years ago, I went to the Apple Store at one of the malls in St. Louis. Getting new phones and mentioned I wish they had a store closer to me. Started stalking wages, and the Apple employee said, they start at like 24+ an hr…

I was making like 20 working in a dirty warehouse.

Fed Min is still less than 8(?)
Missouri Min I think is now 14-15

 

[Madhatter32]

It’s really sad to see the state of our education system in this thread. Reagan’s trickle-down, anti-union mythology has won out.

PATCO, a public union, broke the law. Reagan merely enforced the law. Perspective please.

 

[dominiongamma]

All unions ever do is complain. It’s never good enough

Same with non union American workers.

 

[Timpetus]

The best thing for employees would be to universally unionize all stores. It's interesting how people are anti-union, but are also probably struggling to pay their own bills in the economy where prices go up, large corporations, and billionaires make more money, and standard income stagnates at a rate lower than the cost-of-living increases. The USA and many other countries I've been exhibiting all the hallmarks of eventually economic collapse and depression.

I'm anti-union because I understand they make my prices go up even more, just like any other layer of bureaucracy between me and those I do business with.

 

[-BigMac-]

I'm withholding any judgment until this issue is resolved.

Thanks for your insightful comment.

Please keep us up to date with your ongoing assessment

 

[roklanhavok]

There was a time when children worked in horrific factories. This is thankfully not that time. Move on.

 

[BC2009]

Are you weirdos that hate unions millionaires?

More likely people who were screwed by or had family members screwed by unions failing to protect them after exploiting them for union dues. Unions lock up exclusive agreements making it impossible to work for some businesses or some industries unless you are a union member so you have to pay the dues, and because the union knows they have that "labor monopoly" they have no incentive to help new union members -- only protecting those with seniority. It happened to my father.

 

[jeme]

There was a time when children worked in horrific factories. This is thankfully not that time. Move on.

Correct and Unions were needed to prevent that - in modern times they are useless as they work on a tenure principle rather than a performance principle.

 

[Jason2000]

Screw the union. They just are not needed anymore. They cause more issues than they solve.