Apple Grand Central store employees hoping to unionize

• 

According to The Washington Post, retail Apple employees in a New York City shop at Grand Central Terminal have begun collecting signatures to form a union.

The organizers, who are purportedly known as Fruit Stand Workers United, declared on their website that they had elected to unite with the Workers United labor union on February 21st, 2022. Workers United is the same organization that has supported recent unionization drives at Starbucks locations around the country.

According to The Washington Post, organizers at the Grand Central Terminal are presently handing out signature cards to employees who want to create a union. Organizers can petition the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to arrange a union election if at least 30% of workers sign off on it. So yet, there hasn't been successful unionization of an Apple shop.

Read more: Amazon furious against workers for unionizing

 

According to the organizer's website, “Grand Central is an extraordinary store with unique working conditions that make a union necessary to ensure our team has the best possible standards of living in what have proven to be extraordinary times."

The Washington Post reported in February that numerous Apple stores were preparing to unionize in response to concerns that pay was failing to keep up with the increasing rate of inflation and that working conditions were deplorable.

According to a recent story in the Post, "at least three" other Apple shop locations are in the process of organizing a union.

In a statement, an Apple spokesperson said Apple feels "fortunate to have incredible retail team members and we deeply value everything they bring to Apple,” adding that "We are pleased to offer very strong compensation and benefits for full time and part-time employees, including health care, tuition reimbursement, new parental leave, paid family leave, annual stock grants and many other benefits.” 

Following The Verge's story that Apple shop staff are battling with low salaries and a stressful working environment, Apple enhanced perks for both part-time and full-time retail employees earlier this year. Retail workers have also had to contend with changing mask recommendations, shop closures, and a requirement to provide confirmation of a COVID-19 booster shot or a negative COVID-19 test before entering the business during the pandemic.