Apple Store workers in Maryland vote to authorize strike

Apple Store workers in Towson, Maryland, the first of the tech giant’s retail employees to unionize, made history again by voting late Saturday in favor of authorizing a strike.

Apple Store workers in Towson, Maryland, the first of the tech giant’s retail employees to unionize, made history again by voting late Saturday in favor of authorizing a strike. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE), the union representing the workers, said in a news release the vote “underscores the frustrations among workers regarding unresolved workplace issues.” Employees at the store in Towson, a suburb of Baltimore, have been in contract negotiations with Apple management since last year over a number of issues, including the store’s “unpredictable” scheduling practices and wages that don’t “align with the area’s cost of living.” “This vote today is the first step in demonstrating our solidarity and sends a clear message to Apple,” said members of the union’s negotiating committee on Saturday. “The passage of the strike sanction vote highlights IAM CORE’s unwavering commitment to advocating for the rights and well-being of workers in the face of challenges.” Apple did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment. The union at the Towson store has not disclosed what date members would strike. Meanwhile, another vote for a store to unionize failed this weekend.