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WORKERS at an Apple store in the United States have become the first employees of the tech giant to unionise in the country after a vote in Maryland on Saturday.
Staff at the Towson shop voted 65 per cent in favour of trade union recognition with 33 per cent against as they demand a say on wages, working hours and health and safety.
A group of workers wrote to Apple boss Tim Cook last month saying they wanted to form a union at the store.
Voting began on Wednesday and could see workers, who have been organising as a group known as Apple Core, form a branch of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union.
"We did it, Towson! We won our union vote! Thanks to all who worked so hard and all who supported! Now we celebrate... Tomorrow we keep organising,” Apple Core said in a statement.
IAM International president Robert Martinez Jr applauded the workers’ courage.
“They made a huge sacrifice for thousands of Apple employees across the nation who had all eyes on this election.
“I ask Apple CEO Tim Cook to respect the election results and fast-track a first contract for the dedicated IAM Apple Core employees in Towson,” he said in a statement.
“This victory shows the growing demand for unions at Apple stores and different industries across our nation.”
The tech giant declined to comment on the vote but it opposes unions in its stores saying “the presence of an intermediary would complicate relations between Apple and its employees.”
Last month, it was accused of intimidation as workers in Atlanta withdrew their request to form a union.