Apple Inc. and the union that represents its Towson, Maryland, retail employees have come to an early labour deal.
This is the first time the tech giant has done a deal of this kind in the US.
The labour agreement is an important first step; but, it must be approved by a vote of the store’s 85 rank-and-file members to go into force.
Workers at Amazon and Starbucks, for example, opted to join unions far before those at the Apple shop in Maryland, but their high-profile union organising campaigns have not resulted in agreements for those employees.
The three-year agreement comprises scheduling improvements, average raises of 10% over the life of the contract, a severance clause and limits on contracted employees, and an open disciplinary procedure, according to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organised Retail Employees, which represents about 85 workers at the Towson store.
In the tech sector, which has historically opposed unionisation, the accord also emphasises the growing strength and influence of unions.
Watchers in the sector will be closely observing the result of the ratification vote by the employees of the Apple shop.
“By reaching a tentative agreement with Apple, we are giving our members a voice in their futures and a strong first step toward further gains,” the union’s negotiating committee said in a statement.
Apple operates over 270 Apple stores in the United States, which are completely owned by the business.
Newsng gathered that only one other store, in Oklahoma City, has decided to join another union, the Communications Workers of America. That store is not covered by the draft labour agreement.
We earlier reported that Apple has sent a new wave of threat notifications to iPhone owners in 98 countries, warning them of possible mercenary malware attacks.
