A Glasgow Apple Store has become the first in the United Kingdom to vote to unionize, a move that is being called a "historic moment" by representatives.
The vote now means that those who work at the Glasgow Buchanan Street store will be part of the GMB Scotland union after an overwhelming vote in favor of the move. Apple has agreed to a voluntary recognition of the ballot.
The first of many
The Herald reports that while the Scottish store was the first in the UK to choose to unionize, it's unlikely to be the last. "It is understood that staff at other branches around the UK are now seeking to take similar action with employees elsewhere in Scotland also signing up to the union," it says.
Union representatives had previously said that discussions with Apple had been positive, but that it had taken several months to get to the point of conducting a ballot on the subject of unionization. Glasgow Apple Store employees reportedly said a priority would be to seek an increase in pay, although Apple said that it is already one of the highest-paying retailers in Scotland.
“We have long been committed to providing an excellent experience for our customers and teams," an Apple spokesperson told The Herald. "Apple is one of the highest paying retailers in Scotland and we’ve regularly made enhancements to our industry-leading benefits as a part of the overall support we provide to our valued team members.”
Apple is dealing with similar union efforts around the globe. Strike action was recently taken in Australia, while unionization has been a discussion simmering beneath the surface of many Apple Stores back in the United States for some time.
