Oklahoma Apple store becomes tech giant’s second US location to unionize

Employees at an Apple store in Oklahoma City voted to unionize, the second store at the technology company to do so. 

The Communications Workers of America (CWA), which the union will join, announced the result in a tweet on Friday. 

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) told The Hill that the tally was 56 votes in favor and 32 opposed, which is equal to about 64 percent voting to support unionizing. The NLRB said the approximate number of eligible voters was 95.

The parties have five business days to file objections to the election. The results will be certified if no objections are filed, and Apple will then be required to negotiate in good faith, the NLRB said.

A store in Towson, Md., became the first to unionize following a vote in June. 

Charity Lassiter, an Apple technical expert and member of the Apple Retail Union and CWA, said in a statement that the workers formed the union to ensure that the workers, who are the “soul” of Apple, have a fair say in working conditions and an opportunity to create an equitable environment.

“Now that we’ve won the election, it is our hope that management will come to the table so that we may collectively work towards building a company that prioritizes workers over profit, and encourages employees to thrive,” Lassiter said.

The Hill has reached out to Apple for comment. The Hill has also reached out to Penn Square Labor, the union that will represent the Oklahoma City store workers after the NLRB certifies the vote, for comment. 

The election is a significant win for unionizing efforts at Apple stores after other attempts at unionizing in the company have struggled. 

An election was supposed to occur at an Apple location in Atlanta in June, but it was suspended indefinitely as the union accused Apple of intimidating workers. 

Union efforts nationwide have seen significant boosts in recent months, with unions forming at large companies like Amazon and Chipotle. The NLRB said in July that union representation petitions had increased by more than 50 percent compared to the prior year.

–Updated on Oct. 17 at 1:49 p.m.