Apple Inc. is reportedly expanding benefits to all employees except those who work at the tech giant’s only unionized store and who will not qualify for the new perks automatically when they roll out.
Citing people familiar with situation, Bloomberg reported Wednesday that the iPhone maker informed its workers that it is boosting the amount of funding they can receive for outside education and adding greater health care benefits in some states.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL | APPLE INC. | 138.34 | -0.64 | -0.46% |
At the same time, Apple made clear to workers at its sole union shop in Towson, Maryland, that they would not automatically receive the additional benefits and must negotiate for them via collective bargaining through their union, according to the outlet.
MacRumors noted that Apple head of retail Deirdre O’Brien warned employees back in May that benefits would have to be negotiated through collective bargaining for stores that unionized.
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Apple declined to comment to Bloomberg on the article and did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for a statement.
Workers at the Apple store in Towson voted in June by a nearly 2-1 margin to seek entry into the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE) union, which is set to begin formal negotiations with the company soon.
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Following reports that Apple employees at Towson would be excluded from the tech firm’s new benefits, IAM CORE issued a statement, saying, “Despite the news from Apple today, our goal is still the same. We are urging Apple to negotiate in good faith so we can reach an agreement over the next few weeks.”
The union added, “The IAM CORE negotiating committee is dedicated to securing a deal that gives our IAM CORE members the proper respect and dignity at work and sets the standard in the tech industry.”
While the Towson store was the first Apple store to unionize, it may not be the last. Organization efforts have been launched at multiple Apple locations over the past year.
FOX Business’ Ken Martin contributed to this report.
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