Apple leaked memo highlights loss of opportunities, promotions in anti-union push: report

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is sending around a memo to some of its U.S. store leaders that mention that potential loss of career opportunities and promotions if employees were to unionize, according to a leaked document obtained by Vice.

The memo, which has been sent to store leaders via email, noted that Apple (AAPL) store employees could lose the ability to take time off for personal reasons and "the quality of your work may not even be a factor." In addition, they may see less "flexibility" and Apple (AAPL) could pay "less attention to merit" should a store unionize.

"What makes a store great is having a team that works together well," one of the talking points in the email said, according to Vice. "That can’t always happen when a union represents a store’s team members."

Apple (AAPL) shares fell more than 4.% to $139.61 in late-day trading on Thursday, their lowest levels in more than a month.

Cupertino, California-based Apple (AAPL) did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Seeking Alpha.

Three Apple (AAPL) stores across the U.S. have discussed or are in the process of voting to form a union, including one in Atlanta, another in New York City and one in Towson, Maryland.

The group representing the workers in New York's Grand Central Terminal, known as Fruit Stand Workers United, have reportedly called for an increase in hourly wages to at least $30 per hour.

They are also looking for several other benefits, including increased tuition reimbursement, more vacation time, more retirement options and higher 401(k) matches, among others.

Some of the issues the Atlanta-area store may ask for include a starting wage of $28 per hour, as well as larger raises and larger profit sharing.