‘It feels like a betrayal’: anger as Apple to close its first unionized store in the US
www.theguardian.com
Tech giant accused of ‘cynical attempt to bust the union’ in decision to shutter location in Towson, Maryland

Workers at the first Apple store to unionize in the US are pushing back against the company’s decision to shut down the store by June, alleging the company’s decision is rooted in “a cynical attempt to bust the union”.

On Monday, the union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Apple, alleging unionized employees at the store in Towson, Maryland, are being denied transfer rights and other rights compared with workers at non-unionized stores. The union is also alleging retaliation for being unionized.

According to the union, Apple claims the collective bargaining agreement prevents relocation, a claim the union says is “simply false, and raises serious concerns that this closure is a cynical attempt to bust the union” the union said in a statement.

  • stoy@lemmy.zipEnglish
    23·
    3 days ago

    Sigh, the workers of the US needs to form sector based unions, not just individual workplace unions.

    As a Swede, it is weird to read about how one workplace is unionized and another isn’t.

    • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
      6·
      3 days ago

      We’re are surprisingly insulated to international politics like this. I didn’t know that was a thing. How does that loosely work and who put that together, the government?

      • Atomic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        5·
        2 days ago

        In addition to the other great answers, Swedes have a very, very long history of unions. Dating back as far as at least the 1500’s where Dacke, a peasant, gathered other peasants and lead an uprising against the king.

        We learned quickly that together we are strong. And that mentality never subsided.

        Together, even kings had to meet our demands and negotiate. Without us, the king has no army. Without an army. The king does not have a kingdom.

        Workers everywhere knew they had to stick together, no matter what type of work they did. Unions in Sweden are not just organisations, they are our history and culture.

      • stoy@lemmy.zipEnglish
        6·
        3 days ago

        Ok this will be very abbreviated.

        The first thing you need to know about the Swedish labor market is that it is almost completely unregulated by the government.

        Sweden has no regulated minimum wage, none, instead this is negotiated periodically by the unions and employer organizations, both of which has legal weapons to use.

        Unions can strike, we even allow sympathy strikes, employers can use lockouts and other methods.

        Negotiations concerning the larger unions are national news, and large strikes does happen.

        Your personal membership in a union is no big deal, I am a member of the largest white-collar workers union, and I could be called out to strike, it has never happened to me.

        In larger worksites there are representatives for the bigger unions among the workforce.

        I am sure that I missed a lot, and I am happy to be corrected.

          • Atomic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            3·
            2 days ago

            I think you’re missing the context here that unions didn’t just pop up over night.

            They started as many smaller unions, and with time, as communication capabilities advanced, workers could form even bigger unions.

            We’ve got plenty of unions older than your entire country.

          • ChristerMLB@piefed.socialEnglish
            1·
            2 days ago

            I’m sure it was. Unions do get some help from the government, at least here in Norway we do not pay taxes on union dues – and the leftist parties do work very closely together with the unions – but that’s today, it’s certainly not always been like that - and at the end of the day, the unions are independent, as they should be.

            I dunno, maybe it was easier in more honest times back in the 1800’s when capitalists were more transparently evil. Also, I do think it helps that we don’t have a nationally mandated minimum wage. Call me cynical.

    • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksOPMEnglish
      12·
      3 days ago

      Don’t you think it’s just greed here? I don’t think they’re actively fighting class warfare, Apple isn’t that aware of anyone else.

      • SaltSong@startrek.websiteEnglish
        2·
        3 days ago

        If they are closing the store because of the union, it’s warfare. If it’s just unprofitable, then I suppose it’s just impersonal harm.