Another Apple Store is trying to unionize. This time, it’s a group of 104 employees in Short Hills, New Jersey, who filed a petition to unionize with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Tuesday, as reported earlier by Bloomberg.
If the unionization efforts are successful, the Apple Store employees would join the Communications Workers of America — the union that represents other Apple Store employees, along with employees of AT&T, Verizon, Frontier, and more.
Four other Apple Stores have moved to unionize within the past couple of years, but only the retail locations in Oklahoma City and Townson, Maryland, have successfully formed a union. These efforts haven’t come without some pushback from Apple, however.
Last year, the NLRB filed a complaint on behalf of the Apple Store workers in Maryland, which alleged Apple didn’t extend enhanced benefits to workers at its store. Judges have also found that Apple illegally interrogated workers over pro-union activities at its New York City and Atlanta, Georgia, locations.
“We strongly believe forming a union is the best way to ensure all Apple workers receive the respect, pay, benefits and working conditions we deserve,” John Nagy, an operations lead at Apple’s Short Hills, New Jersey retail location says in a statement. “We call on Apple not to interfere in our ongoing organizing efforts and, instead, allow workers to freely determine for themselves whether to form a union.”
In a statement provided to Bloomberg, Apple says it has “always paid our retail teams in the top tier of the market,” adding that it offers “exceptional and comprehensive benefits for all full- and part-time employees.” Apple didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
Workers at Apple’s New Jersey store will still have to hold a union election, where employees will vote on whether or not to join the union. If the majority says yes, Apple will be forced to bargain with the workers. But this could be a challenge. As pointed out by Bloomberg, Apple has yet to form a bargaining agreement with the staff in Maryland and Oklahoma.