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Apple employs anti-union lawyers as the struggle heats up
https://www.whatjobs.com/news/employment-news/apple-employs-anti-union-lawyers-as-the-struggle-heats-up
By Nithya Bose in Employment News, posted April 26, 2022
Apple has employed anti-union attorneys at Littler Mendelson in an ongoing battle with Atlanta retail employees who have filed for a union election.
The firm has not officially announced its stand on Apple Store unionization.
However, the action seems to send a clear message the company intends to discourage workers organizing for improved compensation and working conditions.
READ MORE: APPLE UNION ORGANIZERS IN GEORGIA SAY THEY WERE INSPIRED BY AMAZON WAREHOUSE WORKERS
Speaking anonymously. a retail employee said: “Pay is so unequal at the stores — there are people who’ve been in roles for less time making more than people who’ve worked in those same roles for years.
"They position themselves as a company that’s open to feedback but nobody acts on it.
"With a union backing the employees, they’ll be more pressure on them to actually act on it.”
The union fight follows a challenging two years for retail workers who dealt with COVID-19 breakouts and mental health problems aggravated by excessive workloads.
Apple store workers at Atlanta's Cumberland Mall filed for a union election last week.
The employees have joined the Communications Workers of America to form a union.
The move sparked a whirlwind of organizing activity at Apple Stores across the country.
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It is reported that the corporation has hosted captive audience meetings, a common strategy used to propagate anti-union messages during work hours.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment on its connection with Littler.
Littler is also representing Starbucks in its efforts to prevent employee unionization.
It previously assisted McDonald's in avoiding liability in a 2014 lawsuit, where the firm was accused of violating labor regulations as a joint employer by retaliating against workers who engaged in the Fight for $15 movement.
Source: The Verge
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