Lawmakers call for investigation into Kansas City Apple Store
WASHINGTON — Two lawmakers call for an investigation into Apple Store locations in Kansas City and Houston.
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo., and Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, asked the National Labor Relations Board to investigate the stores over claims of unfair labor practices.
In a letter to the board, the lawmakers say the Apple Store on the Country Club Plaza fired five workers. The Communications Workers of America claims Apple illegally intimidated the workers before firing them because they were involved in contract negotiations.
They lawmakers allege a similar situation happened at Apple Stores in Houston. The CWA Union claims workers there were illegally interrogated and disciplined for supporting union efforts.
The National Labor Relations Act guarantees employees the right to unionize, if they choose.
Any allegation that the largest corporation in the world is using its institutional power to silence and stamp out workers’ God-given right to collectively bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and increased workplace safety is extremely disconcerting—but allegations of retaliation from numerous workers of the same retail store should be investigated with the seriousness this situation deserves. I don’t care if the offender is Apple or Applejacks, if any business attempts to stifle workers’ right to organize in Kansas City, then they’re going to hear from me about it. I look forward to a swift and thorough investigation from the National Labor Relations Board as we seek to ensure no business, no matter how large or small, can infringe on the rights of American workers.
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II, D-Mo.
The two lawmakers said they are concerned these claims could be part of a pattern because the the NLRB found Apple infringed upon worker rights in a separate case earlier this year.
Read the entire letter the lawmakers sent to the National Labor Relations Board below.
FOX4 asked Apple’s media department for a comment on the claims Friday morning. The company has not responded to the request. The full response will be added to this article when FOX4 receives it.
