The U.S. Labor Board found that Apple conducted unauthorized interrogations of employees at the Apple World Trade Center store in New York City.
In a recent ruling, the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that Apple was guilty of illegal practices in a New York store in 2022. First, the company surveyed employees about union activities. Second, it limited the distribution of union leaflets in the workplace.
The decision by three board members upheld a 2023 ruling by an administrative judge, who also found Apple guilty of similar labor violations, according to the latest news by Bloomberg.
Notably, workers at stores in Maryland and Oklahoma successfully voted to unionize in 2022although they have not yet entered into collective bargaining agreements with the company.
Apple is alleged to have engaged in several “coercive interrogation practices,” prompting the company to announce its intention to appeal the ruling. Plus union workers at another Apple Store has raised concerns about what they see as retaliation following their unionization efforts.
The company's union challenges aren't unique to New York City. A store in Short Hills, New Jersey, is poised to potentially vote on unionization will be the third unionized Apple Store in the US
These developments are part of a larger wave of unionization efforts within the tech industry, a promising sign as workers increasingly push for better working conditions, benefits and representation.
The NLRB ruling poses a significant challenge to Apple's current labor practices and sets a crucial legal and moral precedent for how technology companies interact with organized labor.
Decisions made by NLRB members can be challenged in federal court. However, it is important to note that the agency does not have the power to award damages or hold executives personally liable for violations, which may limit the effectiveness of its rulings.