Wesley Hilliard
Australian Apple Store employees threaten additional work stoppages and strikes as they negotiate improved wage rates.
A group of around 200 employees belonging to the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union in Australia are meeting on Monday to discuss further action against Apple. The union is one of three involved in negotiations.
According to a report from Reuters, Apple proposed a workplace agreement for wage increases that was rejected by 68% of Apple workers polled. The poll was responded by 87% of the 4,000-person Australian workforce.
Apple says its minimum pay rates are 17% above the industry minimum and that full-time workers get guaranteed weekends. However, employees state that wages are not increasing enough to account for inflation, and weekends are often split rather than held over two consecutive days.
"Workers are very happy, they've been campaigning for a fair agreement for three months. Our members have been engaged in pretty serious work bans and strikes," RAFFWU secretary Josh Cullinan told Reuters by phone. "We expect members will want to endorse a series of work stoppages."
Union employees staged another one-hour walkout on October 29. A previous walkout was held on October 18.
William Gallagher
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15 Comments
And people wonder why everything is being automated
How bizarre that is. "Workers are very happy. ... pretty serious work bans and strikes." Are they listening to themselves? Unions are evil.
If you are not happy working for Apple, go work somewhere else. The same applies to US employees who don't want to come into the office.
I work retail and full-time employees do not get two-day weekends unless they’re professional (healthcare) staff. If that 17% above normal is true, the workers have nothing to complain about.