Although Apple has signed union agreements for some of its stores, it has been repeatedly accused of taking steps to deter retail employees from unionizing . These include anti-union comments by Apple's HR chief Deirdre O'Brien and allegations of violations of labor laws.
Blaming Apple's Employees
According to the news of the Washington Post, a new criminal complaint has been filed by the Communication Workers of America (CWA) union to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) . The CWA alleges that Apple fired five Kansas City employees in retaliation for union organizing efforts . In each of the five cases, Apple reportedly cited late coming to work and improperly filling out forms as reasons for the layoffs. Gemma Wyatt, one of the laid-off employees, says she has been disciplined for being nearly a minute late for her shift three times in a month.
Kansas City staff have been trying to form a union for nearly a year. On the other hand, only two US stores were unionized in 2022. On the other hand, it is stated that Apple is deliberately trying to block stores trying to unionize. In fact, Apple allegedly tried to curb workers' movements by raising wages, expanding benefits, and loosening schedules.
Fights between tech giants and their regular employees are not new. The past year has been a hot one, with workers at companies like Activision Blizzard, Amazon and Microsoft either unionizing or voicing their discontent. It is known that these companies, like Apple, frequently try to prevent unionization attempts. The CWA's accusations show that these wars continue in the new year.
