Apple's Historic First US Labor Deal: A Triumph for the International Association of Machinists Union in Maryland
Apple, the tech giant known for its innovative products and industry-leading compensation, has reached a historic first labor deal with its retail employees in Towson, Maryland. The International Association of Machinists union (IAM) announced on July 27, 2024, that it had reached a tentative agreement with Apple after over a year of negotiations.
The agreement is significant as it marks the first labor deal for Apple and its workers in the United States. The IAM represents about 85 employees at the Towson store, which voted to join the union in June 2022. The union had previously authorized a strike due to unsatisfactory outcomes from negotiations.
The three-year agreement includes pay increases averaging 10%, an increase in starting pay for many job positions, scheduling protections for part-time and full-time employees, and a disciplinary process with 'protections and accountability.' The deal also maintains all current benefits and an agreement to bargain over any future additions.
The Maryland store is one of only two unionized Apple sites in the country. Employees at the second Apple location in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, are still negotiating their contract with the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The IAM's negotiating team expressed gratitude for The Baltimore Banner's support and thanked the publication as sponsors. The union plans to 'build on this success in store after store and grow the power IAM CORE has started here in Maryland.'
Apple is one of many prominent workplaces where unions have scored landmark US organizing victories since the start of the pandemic, including Microsoft's gaming studios, an Amazon warehouse, a Volkswagen plant, a Chipotle restaurant, and hundreds of Starbucks cafes. However, most of these unions have yet to reach collective bargaining agreements.
The IAM and CWA have been attempting to expand their footholds to other Apple locations around the country but efforts have so far come up short. The assessments of what their peers in Maryland won in their contract talks could either ignite or subdue interest in organizing other stores. The success at the Towson store is a positive sign for ongoing negotiations at the Oklahoma City store, where only a few issues remain outstanding.
