Apple Illegally Threatening Workers in Oklahoma, Complaint Alleges
Apple Inc. has been illegally threatening Oklahoma City retail workers in the lead-up to a unionization election next week, the Communications Workers of America alleged in a US labor board filing.
The company is violating federal labor law by engaging in surveillance and interrogation of employees, according to the CWA's claim, which was filed with the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday. Apple held mandatory “captive audience” anti-union meetings, threatened to withhold new perks from stores that unionized and told staff that supporting a union would be futile, the labor group said.
Apple, based in Cupertino, California, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The tech giant's retail chain, which has about 270 stores in the US, has become a key target for union activists after years of evading organized labor. The Oklahoma City employees are slated to vote Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 on whether to join the CWA, making their store the company's second unionized US location.
Retail staff at an Apple location in Towson, Maryland, voted in June to unionize with the International Association of Machinists, marking one of several recent labor wins at prominent US companies. Union drives have also made inroads at Amazon. com Inc., Starbucks Corp., Trader Joe's and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.
On Friday, the NLRB's general counsel issued a complaint against Apple in New York City, finding merit in allegations from the CWA that the company interrogated employees at a World Trade Center store about their workplace activism and discriminated against union supporters in enforcing a no-soliciting policy.
The agency's complaint accused Apple of “interfering with, restraining and coercing” staff in their exercise
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