ALT THURSDAY 29 MAY 2025 - Apple Grand Arcade, Cambridge: Workers at Apple Grand Arcade are progressing towards statutory union recognition. The CAC have undertaken a count of union members in the store and have confirmed that 50% of staff are already members of UTAW-CWU. This comes before a ballot campaign has even begun, without a single union official having stepped foot inside the building. This result clearly demonstrates the strength and desire of workers to be recognised as a bargaining unit to enter into collective bargaining with the company. It also reflects the effective grassroots organising happening amongst workers at the store, and throughout Apple Retail.

ALT FRIDAY 2 MAY 2025
Apple Grand Arcade, Cambridge
 UTAW-CWU Members at Apple Grand Arcade held a meeting with Apple management this morning, mediated by ACAS, to discuss union recognition. Apple’s representatives demonstrated a complete lack of good faith and refused to agree to a count of union members that would proceed to a ballot of staff in the store. Instead, they attempted to delay the process and waste our time. We offered Apple the opportunity to recognise us on a voluntary basis, which they had no intention of agreeing to. As a result we were unable to continue the discussion. We will now immediately proceed with the process of statutory recognition with the CAC which we have every confidence we will be successful in due to the strength of our membership.

ALT Apple: "You can't talk about unions while you're at work!"

ALT UTAW @Apple: The Human Rights Act protects your freedom of expression - including the ability to discuss political views - and the freedom of association - the ability to group together with other people to express similar interests. Apple sometimes holds Downloads (team meetings) where managers warn people about joining unions, yet it prevents union reps from encouraging people to join a union while on Apple premises.

ALT Union-Busting: Apple uses poorly written and ambiguous policies, which managers can interpret however is most convenient, to prevent workers from accessing their rights. Apple presents itself as a force for social good, yet regularly tries to prevent workers from accessing fundamental human rights. Apple's anti-union tactics have been found to be unlawful under the U.S. on several occasions. Apple uses the same union-busting playbook here in the U.K. By telling you not to talk about unions while you're at work, Apple is attempting to suppress your freedom of expression with an implied threat.

ALT Join us at www.UTAW.tech/apple

ALT Drawing of an empty Genius Bar. Text overlaid reads “REPAIRING THE GENIUS BAR SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER 7:30 PM UTAW.tech/apple we are... DOWNSIZED, OUTSOURCED, STRETCHED THIN, WORKING UNSAFELY, POORLY RESOURCED, GASLIT BY MANAGERS. We are UNITED TECH & ALLIED WORKERS who believe that good enough, isn't. Join a meeting to openly discuss working conditions and to build a better Genius Bar for workers.”

ALT Apple: "Apple already offers great pay and benefits and gave us a generous pay rise last year"

ALT UTAW@Apple: While pay was increased last year, the increase was well below the level of inflation, resulting in a real-terms loss of earnings for workers. Meanwhile living costs have skyrocketed. Apple makes massive profits and continues to be one of the most wealthy companies in the world. Apple can afford to do better but chooses not to. No Apple worker should be unable to afford to live and rent in the town they work in.

ALT Union-Busting: Apple is using a common union-busting tactic by emphasizing its current pay and benefits to persuade workers not to join a union. This tactic suggests that you should be satisfied with what you have and that organising is unnecessary. But history shows that real worker power and lasting improvements in pay and benefits come from collective bargaining, not corporate benevolence. Without a union, these benefits can be taken away just as easily as they were given. The power to negotiate fair wages, secure benefits, and improve working conditions belongs in the hands of the workers, not the goodwill of the employer.

ALT Join us at www.utaw.tech/apple

ALT Apple: "Apple doesn't need a union because it has the ERT!"

ALT UTAW @Apple: The Employment Relations Team is what Apple calls it's employee forum. It exists because employers in the UK are required to inform workers of changes, it's not a benevolent gift from Apple. Apple doesn't have an ERT in other countries and the workers don't want one. They have real unions instead of pretend ones. ERT reps have no power, facilities or ability to vote on or implement changes. The agenda discussed is always controlled by Apple management. As a union we are independent from our employer and can tackle the real issues.

ALT Union-Busting: Apple's claim that a union isn't necessary because of its employee forum is a textbook example of a union-busting tactic to create a fake alternative. While the ERT may allow you to voice some concerns, it lacks the power and independence that a union provides. The ERT is controlled by the company, meaning Apple decides what issues are addressed and how they are handled. When ERT reps raise genuine concerns about working conditions, conversation is often shut down. A union gives us a real, independent voice in negotiations, ensuring that your rights and interests are genuinely protected. No company-run forum can replace the power of collective bargaining that comes with union representation. The ERT might listen, but a union can make sure your voice leads to real, enforceable changes.

ALT Join us at www.UTAW.tech/apple

ALT Apple: "Unions get in the way of the family-like relationship between Apple and its workers!"

ALT UTAW @Apple: We're not a family. Apple pay us in exchange for labour. Apple holds all the power and doesn't listen to the needs of workers. Apple has the power to fire us. Apple shuts down debate. If we are a family then it's only because Apple seems to think it can talk to us like children. We're workers and we have needs. We have our own families and mouths to feed. A free slice of pizza now and again isn't enough, we need meaningful improvements to our wages and working conditions. Apple gets in the way of workers demanding better, but with a union we have a collective voice and the ability to negotiate, together.

ALT Union-Busting: Apple's claim that unions would disrupt the "family-like relationship" between the company and its workers is a common union-busting tactic, designed to make you feel emotionally connected to the company and guilty about considering unionisation. But the truth is, a real family doesn't discourage open communication, fairness, or collective support. Unions don't get in the way of relationships-they strengthen them by ensuring that all workers are treated fairly, have a voice, and can negotiate for better working conditions. When a company tries to convince you that it's like a family, ask yourself: why is it so afraid of giving you the collective power to stand up for your rights? A true family doesn't fear fairness and equality; it embraces it.

ALT Join us at www.UTAW.tech/apple

ALT Apple: "You could lose out on pay and benefits with a union!"

ALT UTAW @Apple: It's against the law for a company to give detrimental treatment to workers because they're union members. That includes threatening to pay them less or take benefits away. A unionised workforce would collectively bargain over compensation and other issues to seek improvements. We'd then vote to democratically decide what changes to accept or reject.

ALT Union-Busting: "You could lose out on pay and benefits" is a classic scare tactic designed to create fear and uncertainty. This kind of fear-mongering is intended to make you doubt the value of unionising by suggesting that it could somehow make things worse. Unions exist to protect and improve pay, benefits, and working conditions-not to reduce them. Union negotiations are driven by the collective power of workers, and any changes to pay or benefits must be agreed upon democratically by our members themselves. With a union, we'd have a legally binding contract that protects our rights and ensures that any changes to pay or benefits are negotiated and not imposed unilaterally by the employer. When companies try to scare you into thinking you'll lose out, it's because they know that a union gives you the power to secure better, more stable conditions than you could achieve on your own.

ALT Join us at www.utaw.tech/apple

ALT Apple: "The union is a third-party organisation that just wants your money"

ALT UTAW @Apple: We're not a "third party", we're Apple employees grouping together to demand better. Unlike Apple, a union isn't a corporation and doesn't have a profit motive. Members contribute a small subscription towards the upkeep of the union to support each other with well-trained reps and access to legal support. Our subscriptions are amongst the lowest in the UK, about £8.70 a month for full time workers and less if you're part time. In return we're able to campaign for better wages and working conditions, together as a union.

ALT Union-Busting: Union-busting companies frequently try and scare workers off unionising by talking about the cost. However, on average in the UK, union members are paid significantly more than non-union members doing equivalent jobs. Apple is driven by profit margins and share prices, which means paying workers as little as it can get away with in order to maximise profits and minimise costs. As Apple's profits have increased our wages have not grown to reflect Apple's success Apple can afford to do better but is under no pressure to do so unless we unionise for a collective voice.

ALT Join us: www.utaw.tech/apple