(Reuters) – Apple Inc has been accused by a U.S. labor board of illegally attempting to stymie a union campaign at a Manhattan retail store by interrogating workers and barring them from leaving pro-union flyers in a break room.
The complaint from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) claims Apple asked employees at the World Trade Center store about their support for the union, forced them to attend anti-union meetings and prohibited flyers in a break room where it allowed other forms of solicitation.
The claims come as unions work to organize Apple employees at several U.S. stores. A store near Baltimore, Maryland in June became the first Apple location to unionize, and a vote will be held at an Oklahoma City store next week.
The complaint, which is dated Sept. 30, was spurred by charges that the Communication Workers of America (CWA) union filed with the agency in May.
Apple in a statement on Wednesday denied wrongdoing and said it values its retail workers.
“We regularly communicate with our teams and always want to ensure everyone’s experience at Apple is the best it can be,” the company said.
Sara Steffens, the CWA’s secretary-treasurer, said the complaint would help hold Apple accountable for its alleged anti-union activities.
“Apple has a choice,” Steffens said in a statement on Wednesday. “Does it want to be known for intimidating its workers and creating a culture of fear, or does it want to live up to its stated values and welcome true collaboration with all of its employees?”
The union drive at Apple stores is part of a spike in union organizing that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amazon.com Inc and Starbucks Corp are among the other major companies that are facing the first union drives in their history.
The complaint against Apple seeks to require the company to post a notice at the store about workers’ rights under federal law and train managers on their legal obligations.
A Dec. 23 hearing is scheduled in the case before an NLRB administrative judge. Apple has until Oct. 14 to file a response to the complaint.
The case is Apple Inc, National Labor Relations Board, No. 02-CA-295979.
For Apple: Robert Hulteng of Littler Mendelson
For the CWA: Sumanth Bollepalli
Read more:
Apple ready to bargain with its first U.S. store to unionize: source
U.S. Apple store workers working to unionize – Washington Post
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