Organizing Update

Apple

This week, CWA filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against Apple for multiple federal labor law violations on behalf of workers at stores in Atlanta and New York City. The company violated the National Labor Relations Act by interrogating staff, surveilling workers, restricting the posting of union fliers, and requiring employees to listen to anti-union propaganda during mandatory “daily download” meetings.

“Whether or not we join a union should be up to the workers at the store,” said Derrick Bowles, who works at the Cumberland store in Atlanta where workers are organizing to join CWA. “By having store managers try to persuade us not to join the union during daily downloads, Apple is putting its thumb on the scale.”

Last week, a leaked memo revealed that Apple has been circulating anti-union talking points for store managers in multiple Apple locations. The company also hired anti-union lawyers from the notorious union-busting firm Littler Mendelson in order to prevent workers from having a union voice.

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The Hill

On Wednesday, newsroom employees at The Hill announced that they are forming a union with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (TNG-CWA Local 32035). A supermajority of the roughly 80 reporters, designers, copy editors, producers, and social media curators at The Hill have signed cards in favor of joining the union. The workers filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, but asked management and the publication’s new parent company to voluntarily recognize their union. They are fighting for access to affordable health care, opportunities for professional growth, and to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace.