Members of Congress take note of Apple’s alleged anti-unionizing store efforts

As noted by AppleInsider, members of Congress have taken note of Apple’s actions at unionizing stores, and have officially addressed the allegations that the company is chronically preventing its retail staff from organizing at multiple locations.

On Thursday, congresspeople Emanuel Cleaver II from Missouri and Sylvia Garcia from Texas penned a letter to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) expressing concern over Apple’s treatment of retail employees. Specifically, the officials cite incidents that have taken place in Kansas City, Missouri and Houston, Texas.

On April 28, Jay Wadleigh, who is leading contract negotiations on behalf of the International Association of Machinists union, told The Baltimore Banner. contract talks with Apple have been “very, very slow.”

The Towson store became the first in the nation to organize, with workers voting to form a union in June last year. Wadleigh said the union was prepared to begin bargaining in November, but agreed with the company to postpone until January to get through the holiday season, according to The Baltimore Banner.

This follows complaints Apple’s unionized retail store in Towson, Maryland filing a complaint last November with the National Labor Relations Board after it was excluded from some benefits, reports Bloomberg.

In October 2022, Apple announced plans to offer employees additional funds for education and new health care features in some states. However, unionized employees at the Towson, Maryland Apple retail store won’t receive these benefits.

Towson workers must negotiate benefits with Apple through the union. As noted by MacRumors, Apple’s head of retail, Deirdre O’Brien, warned employees about such situations in anti-union messaging sent out in May.