Image Credit: Central OK Labor Federation (@OKCOLF on X)
Oklahoma City’s Apple Penn Square employees set up shop outside the Penn Square Mall, hoping to gain public support and awareness ahead of its negotiations with Apple.
On Tuesday, workers and union reps set up an “informational picket” at the Penn Square Mall, hoping to raise awareness of the unsatisfactory working conditions they face. The Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 6016 organized the picket.
The picket came a day before contract negotiations were set for September 4-6. If the negotiations are recognized, Apple Penn Square employees would be the second group to be covered under a collectively bargained contract, the first being Apple Towson.
The complaints are not unlike those we’ve heard at other Apple locations. Allegedly, the company’s propensity for inconsistent scheduling makes it difficult for employees to maintain any kind of work-life balance. Employees at other Apple Stores have pointed out that this practice is inherently biased against employees who have children or those who work two jobs.
Additionally, bilingual workers are rallying for compensation for their unique skills and what it does for the retail location.
“A lot of what we’re bargaining for are economics, especially bilingual pay. Living in Oklahoma, there’s a very large Spanish-speaking population. It is very common to have people come in that don’t speak English or have somebody translate for them,” Apple Genius admin Michael Forsythe told The Oklahoman
“So, what happens in a lot of cases, we have to pull someone who speaks Spanish from our store and that takes away from their other duties, and these things that they are being pulled away from affects their raises.”
Negotiations have been ongoing since October 2022, and in that time, workers say that they’ve faced repeated anti-union attacks. They also point out that the tech giant had employed stalling tactics in bargaining.
As a result, the workers have authorized a strike if fair contracts aren’t negotiated. While CWA said it would end negotiations in September, it’s not uncommon for bargaining to last an average of three years before finally being settled. CWA has said it will continue representing the Apple Store workers until decisions are reached.
