The Communications Workers of America union claims Apple dismissed five Kansas City workers and penalized another in Texas in retribution for organizing. The union has also accused the firm of questioning employees, offering better working circumstances if they don’t support the union and harsher terms if they do.
A CWA press release quotes dismissed worker D’lite Xiong:
Apple management dismissed me over a timesheet typo I recorded and sought to fix. But, I was dismissed for organizing and winning a protected voice at work.
According to The Washington Post, another employee was put on notice thrice a month after arriving a minute late and fired “after two more attendance-related issues.” In addition, the union filed two unfair labor practice accusations with the National Labor Relations Board—one for each location.
Apple didn’t immediately react to The Verge’s inquiry.
Apple Houston Unfair Labor Practice Charge – DocumentCloud
Apple has been accused of unfair labor practices regarding organizing workers before. For example, the National Labor Relations Board found that Apple questioned and coerced Atlanta employees and filed a complaint against Apple, alleging that it discriminated against New York employees’ union activities.
Apple’s first unionized retail store in the US, Towson Town Center, has also accused the corporation of suppressing information about additional perks it granted to other workers, making it impossible to bargain for the same treatment as non-unionized personnel.