The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleges that Apple denied a number of new benefits to unionised employees at its Towson, Maryland, store, according to a complaint filed on Tuesday.
In the complaint, the NLRB alleges that Apple didn’t extend improved benefits to the Towson workers in order to “discourage” other employees from unionising. The new benefits include new healthcare options, a free Coursera subscription and prepaid tuition at some colleges.
The Towson Apple Store became the first Apple retail store in the US to unionise last year with a historic vote to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). Apple first implemented the new benefits in October 2022. When the Towson workers found out they’d been excluded, they wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook to express their disappointment and filed a complaint with the NLRB.
“We are pleased that the NLRB has recognised the importance of upholding the rights of IAM CORE members and ensuring that all employers, regardless of size, respect our federal laws,” IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan said in a statement. Apple didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
The union also filed a grievance against Apple on behalf of the Towson workers in July, alleging that the company had taken “deliberate steps to derail” their progress. A hearing on this latest unfair labour practice charge will be held before an NLRB administrative law judge on 20 February. The NLRB is seeking a “notice of hearing” that will inform the workers of its findings, “among other just and appropriate remedies”.
In addition to Towson, Apple workers at an Oklahoma City store voted to unionise with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) last year. Apple hasn’t been the most receptive to union activity in the past, with a Bloomberg story earlier this year reporting that store managers held meetings to warn workers about the “risks” of unionising.
