An Apple HR chief is determined to stop their store workers from unionizing, a newly leaked video shows.
A leaked clip, seen by tech outlet The Verge, reportedly shows the firm’s VP of people and retail, Deirdre O’Brien, expressing: “I worry about what it would mean to put another organization in the middle of our relationship.
“An organization that does not have a deep understanding of Apple or our business. And most importantly one that I do not believe shares our commitment to you.”
O’Brien’s comments come at a time when employees at Apple stores in New York, Maryland and Georgia have suggest plans to form unions, and the firm has even agreed to let the latter two hold elections.
Among the enticing factors for union membership among Apple’s retail staff is the increased pay protection – data from the Economic Policy Institute shows that unionized US workers earn around 13.2% more than others working in the same sector who aren’t members of a union.
Resultantly, O’Brien has been on a whistle-stop tour of Apple retail sites in an apparent bid to quell the emotions of staff determined to unionize.
However, as The Verge reports, O’Brien treads some common anti-union rhetoric in the leaked video.
“Apple moves incredibly fast...It’s one thing I love about our work in retail. It means that we need to be able to move fast too. And I worry that because the union will bring its own legally mandated rules that would determine how we work through issues it could make it harder for us to act swiftly to address things that you raise.
She goes on: “I’m committed to and proud of our ability to act fast to support our teams, to support you. But I don’t know that we could have moved as quickly under a collective bargaining agreement, as it could limit our ability to make immediate widespread changes to improve your experience. And I think that’s what really is at stake here.”
