Apple store workers in Maryland vote to become first in US to unionize

Apple store workers near Baltimore voted for a union Saturday, becoming the first organized store in the US in a landmark decision that could change the face of the tech giant’s retail operation.

As of 8:30 p.m., 65 workers who voted at the Towson, Md., store had sided with the union, outnumbering anti-union votes 2 to 1. The bargaining unit includes about 100 workers and is affiliated with the International Association of Machinists.

The decision could spark a wider unionization movement among Apple store workers, similar to the first Starbucks union vote last year that has since prompted nearly 300 other stores to file for elections.

The union victory is likely to breathe new life into the labor movement’s mission to organize Apple and the wider tech sector, which suffered a setback after a store in Atlanta canceled its election last month. Those workers, organized by the Communications Workers of America, blamed an alleged union-busting campaign by Apple and said it planned to re-file for an election later.