apple inc AAPL informed Employees at his store in Towson, a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland, that they don’t get the perks they want to give their colleagues in other stores and their company employees.
What happened: Cupertino said it is denying unionized workers in Baltimore the new benefits due to the need to negotiate benefits through collective bargaining required of them by unionizing, Bloomberg said reportedciting people familiar with the matter.
The company reportedly informed employees this week that it will be increasing benefits for outside educational courses and health care for all other retail workers and company employees. The report adds that the increase in some states applies to coursework tracking and access to new health plan benefits.
See also: Apple is trying to convince store workers to unionize, which isn’t in their interest
The wage increase comes amid an inflationary environment affecting real wages, a tight labor market and changing demands from workers amid the pandemic, Bloomberg said.
Why it matters: The unequal treatment of Apple may keep the company’s unionization drive in check, but may also fuel tensions at the workplace, the report said.
Labor groups are scrambling to get Apple store workers to organize in the coming months Workers in the company’s Oklahoma City go to vote this week to be part of the Communications Workers of America, it added.
Apple Store employees in Maryland are part of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union. According to the report, the union is preparing to start formal talks with Apple. Employees reportedly recently received guidance from their work group on how to negotiate with the Cupertino-based company and hold meetings with managers.
Price promotion: Apple shares ended Wednesday’s session down 0.46% at $138.34 Benzinga Pro data.
