Apple has reached a tentative collective bargaining contract with the first unionized company store in the country. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees, representing employees at a retail location in Maryland, announced a three-year deal with the company. The agreement includes a pay increase of an average of 10% and additional benefits for workers.
The deal is subject to approval by approximately 85 employees at the store in Towson, a Baltimore suburb, with a scheduled vote set for Aug. 6. The union's negotiating committee expressed optimism about the agreement, stating that it provides a voice for members in shaping their futures and marks a positive step towards further progress.
Apple has yet to comment on the tentative agreement. The negotiations followed a strike authorization by workers at the store in May, citing unsatisfactory outcomes from over a year of discussions with management.
The Maryland store is one of only two unionized Apple sites in the country. Employees at this location voted in favor of unionization in June 2022. Similarly, workers at a second Apple store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, unionized with the Communications Workers of America, although a contract has not been finalized with the tech giant.
Recent years have seen notable union victories in various industries, such as at an Amazon warehouse in New York City, a Chipotle store in Michigan, and numerous Starbucks locations nationwide. However, many of these successful unionizations have not yet resulted in finalized contracts.
