ability of multi-trillion-dollar corporations to undercut their efforts to collectively bargain for better pay, benefits, and dignity on the job.”
The letter, addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Senior Vice President for Hardware Engineering John Ternus, urges the company to reverse its planned closure of its Towson, Maryland, store, the first of any Apple store workers in the country to unionize. Those unionized workers are “the only Apple store employees who will not be transferred to nearby locations,” write the Members of Congress.
“It certainly appears that Apple has decided to retaliate against the workers at this location for forming a union and collectively bargaining to secure their wages, hours, and working conditions,” the members write. “As Members of Congress, we remind you that these actions would qualify as unfair labor practices, which are illegal as violations of Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.” That law allows workers to choose their representation and collectively bargain without interference or coercion.
“Should Apple not choose to reverse its decision to leave the Baltimore area, given the national ramifications of that choice,” conclude the lawmakers, “we strongly urge you to reconsider how you will fully support these employees, and assist them in transferring, just as other employees of closing stores are allowed to do.”
The letter, led by CPC Chair Greg Casar (TX-35), Deputy Chair Ilhan Omar (MN-05), and Whip Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), was also signed by Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Troy Carter (LA-02), Joaquin Castro (TX-10), Danny Davis (IL-07), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Summer Lee (PA-12), Mike Levin (CA-49), Analilia Mejia (NJ-11), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24).
A full copy of the letter is available here.
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