Employees at NY’s Grand Central Apple Store Move Towards Unionizing

Apple retail workers at the iPhone maker’s Grand Central Terminal store in Manhattan have started to take steps towards unionizing according to a website created by the organizers.

The organizers have dubbed themselves Fruit Stand Workers United, or FSWU.

The employees are looking to be represented by Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, which has overseen the successful union efforts at some Starbucks stores in the U.S.

Organizers will determine the level of unionization support at their Apple store by collecting authorization cards from workers before filing a union petition with the National Labor Relations Board.

FSWU is asking for higher wages and greater bargaining power with Apple over benefits, workplace safety and other employment matters.

According to the group, Apple, the most valuable company in the world, has seen its fortunes grow, while “its retail workers live precariously.”

“Grand Central is an extraordinary store with unique working conditions that make a union necessary to ensure our team has the best possible standards of living in what have proven to be extraordinary times with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and once-in-a-generation consumer price inflation,” FSWU’s website reads.

An Apple spokesperson told CNBC in a statement that the company offers “very strong compensation and benefits” for full-time and part-time employees.

The company pays retail workers a starting wage of $20 per hour and provides benefits such as parental leave and stock grants. It expanded sick days and other benefits for U.S. retail workers earlier this year.

“We are fortunate to have incredible retail team members and we deeply value everything they bring to Apple,” the spokesperson said.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.