‘I am proud of them’: Biden backs Apple workers unionising
US President Joe Biden said he was proud of Maryland workers who voted to join a union at the weekend, becoming the latest in a tranche of workers unionising, following the likes of Starbuck and Amazon.
Workers at one Apple store voted to join a union over the weekend, the first retail staff working for the tech titan to unionise in the US.
After a ballot of more than 100 workers in part of Baltimore County, employees agreed to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
In a letter to top Apple boss Tim Cook, the newly formed Coalition of Organized Retail Employees stated they had “the support of a solid majority of our coworkers,”
“This is something we do not to go against or create conflict with our management,” the letter stated.
Some 65 employees at the shop voted to back joining a union while 33 reportedly voted against on Saturday.
An Apple spokesperson told Reuters news agency that the tech giant had “nothing to add at this time.”
Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Biden said: “I am proud of them. Workers have a right to determine under what condition they are going to work or not work.”