Business & Tech

Attempt To Unionize Apple Store At Short Hills Mall Fails: Reports

Union leaders in New Jersey accused Apple of illegal anti-union efforts – a claim the computer giant has denied, reports say.

A bid to unionize workers at the Apple store inside The Mall at Short Hills in New Jersey has failed, reports say.
A bid to unionize workers at the Apple store inside The Mall at Short Hills in New Jersey has failed, reports say. (File Photo: David Allen/Patch)

SHORT HILLS, NJ — A bid to unionize workers at the Apple store inside The Mall at Short Hills in Essex County has failed, reports say.

Last month, 104 employees at Apple’s retail store in Short Hills filed a petition to form a labor union with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Read More: Workers At Apple Store In NJ Mall Are Trying To Unionize

A member of the organizing committee at the Short Hills store said the local unionization drive was inspired by their Apple colleagues in Oklahoma City and Towson, Maryland.

Find out what's happening in Millburn-Short Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Apple told Reuters that the company has “always paid our retail teams in the top tier of the market and we provide exceptional and comprehensive benefits for all full- and part-time employees.”

Employees at the store cast ballots in a federally run election on Friday and Saturday, coming up short of the number needed, Bloomberg news reported.

Find out what's happening in Millburn-Short Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The final tally came in at 57-41 against forming a union, Reuters reported.

The Communications Workers of America AFL-CIO, which spearheaded the union drive, blamed alleged illegal anti-union efforts for the defeat. The union has filed complaints with the NLRB, accusing Apple of retaliating against organizers in Short Hills – a claim that Apple has denied, NorthJersey.com reported.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.