Apple Store

[Plutonic Panda]

Bernie Sanders congratulated the OKC Apple Store which is pretty cool: https://twitter.com/sensanders/statu...kFNvyVMRJXibsw

[April in the Plaza]

So could Apple close that store and re-open in, say, Classen Curve or would the union remain in place at a new OKC location?

[catch22]

Congratulations to my new union brothers and sisters at the OKC Apple Store!

[NavySeabee]

I'm wondering if they will pull a Walmart move and close the OKC store along with others in small to midsize markets. They could call it in name of inflation and expenses. As it is Apple has plenty of retail and phone company partners they could easily break leases or move the entire company online. I predict the retail industry is going to be hit hard with layoffs and store closures after the holidays. At the very least we will see store closures at underperforming stores just get the stores fully staffed.

Apple could also opt sell off their retail operation to a contract company just like AT&T does at many of their stores.

[Pete]

That Apple store is absolutely swamped almost all day, every day.

They just spent a small fortune renovating it and recently filed plans to do a bathroom upgrade.

Not to mention, if they were to close a busy store right after unionization there would be a big backlash and PR nightmare.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

In a deeply red state with right to work laws on the books, this is a win for unions and workers. I guess there's still a lingering populist vein in Oklahoma. Ya love to see it!

[ChrisHayes]

What a strange comment. So because someone is still working their way up in life, or are comfortable with what they do, they should not receive fair treatment from their employer or be allowed to organize with their coworkers as one entity?

There are plenty of reasons people stay in lower jobs in the economy, and their reasons for doing so are no one's business but their own. Unions in the workplace drive positive changes that are good for people who are working their way up in the forms of higher pay and job security which can lead to less reliance on two jobs, better scheduling practices, etc. -- all of which foster an environment which someone will possibly be more successful while furthering their education.

Besides, why is it such a sin for someone to just have a comfortable life? I have worked my "entry level" job for nearly 11 years now. I am eligible for several promotions, and I have been approached by managers in multiple departments for a promotion. I am happy with what I do. I have a great balance of flexibility, pay, and benefits. Why mess with a good thing? I am fine with my entry-level job. I have made over $100k a year for 2 years in a row now. I made it through all of 3 months of college. My base pay is about $70k a year. Why is that so offensive? Unions allow people to live decent lives.

I'd love to know what you do and see if you can hook me up. lol

[Dob Hooligan]

I can't imagine a trillion dollar company, one of the largest companies on earth, being so afraid of a few Okies in a mall store that they have to shut down the location, turn tail and run.

[okatty]

Pretty large NY Times article on the OKC Apple store in today’s paper.

https://mobile.twitter.com/nytimesbu...05565166571520

[Midtowner]

I'm wondering if they will pull a Walmart move and close the OKC store along with others in small to midsize markets. They could call it in name of inflation and expenses. As it is Apple has plenty of retail and phone company partners they could easily break leases or move the entire company online. I predict the retail industry is going to be hit hard with layoffs and store closures after the holidays. At the very least we will see store closures at underperforming stores just get the stores fully staffed.

Apple could also opt sell off their retail operation to a contract company just like AT&T does at many of their stores.

That would pretty much go against everything Apple has every historically stood for. They like to keep very tight control over most aspects of their brand. Turning over their retail operations to a third party would be anathema to Apple.

[Mott]

[Soonerinfiniti]

Like it or not, with capitalism, the duty of the company is to provide value to the shareholder, not the employee. If the employee wants to be a shareholder, they can benefit as well.

I thought Apple and Starbucks had some of the best pay/benefits around for this type of work (health insurance, college reimbursement, etc.).....

[catcherinthewry]

Like it or not, with capitalism, the duty of the company is to provide value to the shareholder, not the employee.

It is not an issue of providing value to shareholders OR giving your employees good pay and benefits. It is possible to do both. I know, I worked for forty years for a highly profitable, unionized company that did both.

[Soonerinfiniti]

It is not an issue of providing value to shareholders OR giving your employees good pay and benefits. It is possible to do both. I know, I worked for forty years for a highly profitable, unionized company that did both.

I think Apple has been good to their employees. Do they want more, that's fine. But from a strict economic standpoint, saying a company made too much money isn't how capitalism works.

I think the general public's problem with unions is that they believe they will be guaranteed 40 years of employment, which isn't likely in this technological warp-speed environment. Apple might not even be a market leader in 40 years.....I'd be interested to know if you worked for a manufacturing concern, or more of a modern retail-focused company like Apple or Starbucks.

[Midtowner]

I think Apple has been good to their employees. Do they want more, that's fine. But from a strict economic standpoint, saying a company made too much money isn't how capitalism works.

That may be because your analysis seems to stop at the company making a good amount of money. Companies are of course entitled to the profits they earn, but they still have to pay expenses. It's up to labor to be as big of an expense as it possibly can without killing the goose that laid the golden egg. Companies will pay the bare minimum they can for labor, labor is supposed to fight for its place at the table. That's what unions do. What's the harm in that if you're not a shareholder?

--and if you are a shareholder and union busting efforts have failed, what is there to do about it?

[AlexReportsOKC]

Oh yea they did. I was there reporting!

[catcherinthewry]

I think Apple has been good to their employees. Do they want more, that's fine. But from a strict economic standpoint, saying a company made too much money isn't how capitalism works.

I think the general public's problem with unions is that they believe they will be guaranteed 40 years of employment, which isn't likely in this technological warp-speed environment. Apple might not even be a market leader in 40 years.....I'd be interested to know if you worked for a manufacturing concern, or more of a modern retail-focused company like Apple or Starbucks.

Who said anything about a company making too much? I just said it is possible for a company to make money AND treat their employees well. And name me a union contract that guarantees 40 years of employment. That doesn't exist. I could've been fired or laid off at any time for just cause. It sounds like you don't know how unions work.

[soonerguru]

Can see this coming back to bite the employees there. Or the store and OKC as a whole.

No. Remember how all the people at Starbuck's were going to be fired? This will reflect just fine on OKC and will be good for those employees.

[catcherinthewry]

No. Remember how all the people at Starbuck's were going to be fired? This will reflect just fine on OKC and will be good for those employees.

Unfortunately, Starbucks did fire some of the union organizers. They are facing a complaint with the NLRB, though.

[OkiePoke]

There are different types of Capitalism... There has been a shift away from Shareholder Capitalism and more towards Stakeholder Capitalism recently (not necessarily in OK).

[April in the Plaza]

So, based on Oklahoma’s right to work law, the dissenters are not required to join the union to maintain employment at the store?

Seems like there will be a bit of a free rider problem at some point, if not immediately?

[catch22]

A dues objector typically will still have to pay a nominal administrative fee to maintain their place on the seniority roster. This is usually a few bucks a month or quarter, in return the union will provide you zero representation in disciplinary matters and very little assistance in furloughs and recalls. . So yes they get some of the benefits of the union but not all. The union will not represent you in a termination case, where with a union the company cannot discipline you in any way without a fair arbitration session with a shop steward present. Termination requires disciplinary steps to be taken prior to reaching a termination, except for in cases of severe violations. For example theft or any matter where law enforcement is involved. As a dues objector in an at will state the company can terminate you on the spot for any or no reason, with no hearing and no right to appeal or due process. A union protects you from unfair practices such as that.

[jbkrems]

They should not have to pay anything at all --- doesn't our right to work law prohibit that?

[jbkrems]

A dues objector typically will still have to pay a nominal administrative fee to maintain their place on the seniority roster. This is usually a few bucks a month or quarter, in return the union will provide you zero representation in disciplinary matters and very little assistance in furloughs and recalls. . So yes they get some of the benefits of the union but not all. The union will not represent you in a termination case, where with a union the company cannot discipline you in any way without a fair arbitration session with a shop steward present. Termination requires disciplinary steps to be taken prior to reaching a termination, except for in cases of severe violations. For example theft or any matter where law enforcement is involved. As a dues objector in an at will state the company can terminate you on the spot for any or no reason, with no hearing and no right to appeal or due process. A union protects you from unfair practices such as that.

Doesn't our right to work laws prohibit the requiring of having them pay any kind of fee to the union if they do not wish to join?

[gjl]

I worked in a closed shop union manufacturing plant in OKC for 26 years, 1976 to 2002. IBEW. Everyone had to pay dues but you didn't have to join the union. And the union still had to represent everyone, union member or not in all aspects of the job.