employees at Apple Inc AAPL The Penn Square store in Oklahoma City voted to organize, becoming the second unionized Apple store in the United States
Apple has resisted union organizing efforts nationwide. Still, it’s a win for the Communications Workers of America (CWA) as they can form the second union in the country.
Apple employees in the store tuned to organize with 56 for and 32 against. According to the National Labor Relations Board, all of the store’s regular full-time and part-time employees were eligible to vote, 95 in all.
In June, Apple workers at a Maryland Apple Store were the first to be organized by President Joe Biden supported and praised the workers who voted for it.
The Maryland union will soon begin formal discussions with Apple. Employees recently received guidance from their work group on how to negotiate with the Cupertino-based company and hold meetings with managers.
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“The retail workers of Penn Square Apple are an amazing addition to our growing labor movement, and we are excited to welcome them as CWA members,” said Sara Steffens, secretary and treasurer of the CWA, in a statement.
Apple has been fiercely opposed to the union, according to a CWA filing, and management has held anti-union meetings and threatened to withhold benefits from unionized stores.
The CWA has said similar behavior has been reported at Apple Stores in Atlanta and New York.
Apple executives were ordered to tell employees they would face “less opportunity” and “less flexibility” if they formed a union.
Last week, the company shared with employees at his Maryland store that they would not receive the perks they wanted to give their colleagues in other stores and company employees.
