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On the Clock is Motherboard's reporting on the organized labor movement, gig work, automation, and the future of work.
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In the video, O’Brien also suggests that a union would make it more difficult for Apple to work on improving conditions for its retail workers. “Apple moves incredibly fast,” she says. “And I worry that, because the union would bring its own legally mandated rules that would determine how we work through issues, it could make it harder for us to act swiftly to address things that you raise.”“It turned my stomach,” an Apple retail worker and union organizer who viewed the video and requested to remain anonymous, said. “As someone who genuinely likes my company, but is working to organize my store to hold it to its values, I’m disappointed not only in what was said in the video, but also in how convincing it will be to some people that are on the fence.”Apple retail workers have cited pay, benefits, and unpredictable hours as reasons for their unionization push. They also want Apple, the world’s most valuable company, to share more of its profits with frontline workers who sell iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads. A large body of research indicates that union workers earn significantly more than their non-union counterparts. The benefits of unionization are even greater for Black and Latinx workers, research shows.Do you have a tip to share with us about working conditions at Apple? Please get in touch with Lauren Gurley, the reporter, via email lauren.gurley@vice.com or securely on Signal 201-897-2109.
Earlier this month, Motherboard published a series of anti-union talking points that Apple has circulated among store leaders at unionizing retail locations. Apple has not publicly said that it opposes unionization, but these talking points along with the video suggest that Apple opposes unionization efforts at the company. Apple declined to comment. Retail workers at Apple have filed for union elections with three separate unions, the Communications Workers of America, Workers United, and the International Association of Machinists. The campaigns arrive during a moment of widespread enthusiasm for unions in the United States, and a wave of unionization of major anti-union employers including Amazon and Starbucks.