An Apple retail shop in Glasgow, located in Scotland, was the first store in the UK to formally vote to create a union for its employees.
The workers at the Apple site at Glasgow' Buchanan Street have been considering unionization for some time, MacRumors reported. This development comes despite ongoing complaints over both salary and working conditions for certain staff members.
The employees at the said store have just organized into a union, and they want to utilize that unionization to lobby for increased hourly wages and a "fairer" workplace.
Related Article: Apple Employees Vote to Unionize in Oklahoma, Becomes the Second Store to Form a Union in the US
A Tribute to the Hard Work of Employees in Apple Glasgow
After employees voted in an overwhelming majority to be represented by GMB Scotland, a trade union, they will now be unionized. According to a report by The Herald, this development was hailed by union leaders as a "historic moment."
Following lengthy discussions and negotiations, Apple eventually agreed to a voluntary recognition vote. This also happened after a significant proportion of its employees in Glasgow joined the GMB.
It is believed that workers at other branches located around the UK are attempting to take similar action, and employees in other parts of Scotland are also signing up to become members of the union.
John Slaven, an organizer for the GMB, commended the workers for their unwavering commitment to the cause of establishing the first Apple union chapter in the UK. He called it a "tribute to the hard work of activists and workers in Apple Glasgow."
"The vote is astonishing in terms of the size of the majority as workers have spoken with a clear and overwhelming voice," he added.
The Herald said that union leaders believed the tone of discussions with Apple was continuously favorable, but getting to the level where a vote could be made took them many months.
The tech company now recognizes unions in France and Sweden, and employees at shops all around the US are making efforts to organize themselves into unions.
It's One Step to Push for an Hourly Wage Increase
Should union recognition be secured, Glasgow employees have said that one of their top priorities would be to negotiate an increase in their hourly wage, which is now £12 ($13.80).
In response to this, Apple stated that it is one of the shops in Scotland that pays its employees the most.
Aside from the concern about wages, the employees are looking forward to cultivating a fruitful working partnership with Apple in Glasgow.
"This is a historic vote and is a tribute to the mostly young workers who have made it clear they see [unionization] with the GMB as the way to make work better and build a fairer workplace," said GMB Secretary Louise Gilmour.
MacRumors reported that for many months, Apple has been urging store managers to be more honest and forthright with retail personnel about their problems and promised to fix them.
See Also: Google Under Fire For Allegedly Kicking Contract Workers Engaging in Union Activity
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Trisha Kae Andrada
