A group of about 50 protesters representing service employees who they allege are underpaid, blocked people from entering the main doors of the flagship Apple Store in San Francisco's Union Square Thursday.

Protesters with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) staged a sit-in for nearly an hour, according to SEIU organizer Jacob Hay.

The SEIU alleges that companies like Apple contract with firms that underpay service employees like security guards.

Hay told Business Insider that these firms also hire employees for part-time jobs to avoid paying them benefits.

"We will not be intimidated," said one protester.

"Officers have no job protection," said another protester who claimed to be an Apple security guard. "If they miss a day of work, they don't know if they'll have the job the next day."

Hay said he was surprised protesters were able to sit inside the Apple Store for nearly and hour.

Here are protesters inside the store:

A sit-in is underway at the San Francisco Apple Store protesting the working conditions of security officers pic.twitter.com/SdBpX2AcLt — Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) August 28, 2014



Some protesters were apparently arrested during the sit-in:

Zip-ties placed on protesters, who are not resisting. #techcandobetter pic.twitter.com/WQyvzAn2aq — Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) August 28, 2014

I believe 12 protesters were taken away by SFPD for failing to follow police order. #techcandobetter pic.twitter.com/OVmwcYsFYf — Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) August 28, 2014



Before the arrests, protesters were able to block the main entrance. Customers had to enter through a side door. During this time, the store appeared mostly empty except for Apple employees and police officers.

Paul Szoldra contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said Apple closed the Apple Store. The store remained open, but the protestors were able to keep customers from getting through the main entrance. Customers were able to enter through a side door.