Shulou(Shulou.com)11/24 Report--

Beijing, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) Apple will no longer distribute the latest benefits to employees at the only unionized retail store, a move that could exacerbate labor tensions at the tech giant. Currently, Apple has only one retail store in Baltimore, Maryland, unionized.

Apple told retail and corporate employees this week that it would increase benefits for external educational courses and health care, according to people familiar with the matter. Employees will get more money to complete the course, and employees in some states will be able to receive new health plan benefits. This is part of Apple's broader efforts to give back to employees. During the outbreak, the company had to cope with inflationary pressures, a tight labour market and changes in employee demand.

But Apple quickly informed employees at its unionized retail stores that they would not receive new benefits. Currently, only one Apple retail store in Townsend, a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland, is unionized. The reason given by Apple is that Towson stores need to negotiate benefits with Apple through the collective bargaining arrangements of the union. In fact, Apple is not alone in doing so. Coffee giant Starbucks has introduced a series of new employee benefits, but excluded unionized stores, sparking labor disputes.

Labor experts say Apple's move could be seen by the National Labor Relations Board as a violation of federal law, which prohibits companies from introducing anti-union threats or discrimination measures.

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