Apple Store workers are starting to unionize, citing stagnating wages
Some Apple Store employees across the U.S. are quietly pushing to unionize, citing wages that have not kept up with inflation.
Apple The Grove location in LA
Groups at two brick-and-mortar Apple locations are being backed by national unions and are preparing to file paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board in the "near future," sources familiar with the efforts told The Washington Post.
At least another half dozen Apple Store locations are at less advanced stages of unionization.
The efforts are being spurred by wages stagnating under the weight of inflation. They're also being encouraged by successful unionization efforts at other retail businesses, such as Starbucks.
Apple employs more than 65,000 people in its retail workforce, including employees that sell, repair, and troubleshoot products and services. The Cupertino tech giant's retail footprint was responsible for 36% of the company's $366 billion in revenue in 2021.
Although Apple has seen impressive revenue growth over the past few years, retail employees who spoke with The Washington Post say that they haven't shared in those gains.
Retail employees at Apple make between $17 to more than $30 an hour and get between $1,000 and $2,000 worth of stock. However, retail staffers say those wages have not kept up with inflation over the years.
While Apple's hourly rates are in-line with similar retail jobs in the markets where Apple Stores are located, retail workers say that those other retail businesses don't bring in as much revenue as Apple and aren't valued at nearly $4 trillion.
Apple Store workers told The Washington Post that their passion and knowledge for Apple products also helps the company drive sales. Because of that, they say they should share more fully in the company's success.
Managers have already started to pull workers aside and convince them that unionization would hurt workers, however. To avoid detection from managers, employees are reportedly meeting in secret and organizing via encrypted messaging apps. Some are even resorting to using Android devices in an effort to avoid potential snooping.
The iPhone maker is planning on increasing benefits for its employees starting in April, including more sick and vacation time. Apple is also preparing to provide raises to some of its retail workers in an effort to retain talent in a tough labor market.
However, workers at several Apple Stores who spoke with The Washington Post say those raises backfired. Some employees said they received raises of less than a dollar per hour and, because of inflation, they effectively make less than when they started.
The efforts to unionize aren't the only employee organizing endeavors within Apple. Back in 2021, a group of staffers began informally organizing under the #AppleToo banner to expose and discuss workplace conditions and allegations of racism, sexism, and inequality within the company.
Toward the end of 2021, the #AppleToo movement renamed itself "Apple Together" and organized a walk out on Dec. 24 to demand better working conditions. The size of the actual strike was unclear.
According to The Washington Post, the retail efforts to unionize are being secretly supported by the contingent of corporate employees. Some corporate staffers have donated to The Coworker Solidarity Fund, which is a nonprofit to help employees from Apple and Netflix who have spoken up about their respective companies.
Read on AppleInsider
Apple The Grove location in LA
Groups at two brick-and-mortar Apple locations are being backed by national unions and are preparing to file paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board in the "near future," sources familiar with the efforts told The Washington Post.
At least another half dozen Apple Store locations are at less advanced stages of unionization.
The efforts are being spurred by wages stagnating under the weight of inflation. They're also being encouraged by successful unionization efforts at other retail businesses, such as Starbucks.
Apple employs more than 65,000 people in its retail workforce, including employees that sell, repair, and troubleshoot products and services. The Cupertino tech giant's retail footprint was responsible for 36% of the company's $366 billion in revenue in 2021.
Although Apple has seen impressive revenue growth over the past few years, retail employees who spoke with The Washington Post say that they haven't shared in those gains.
Retail employees at Apple make between $17 to more than $30 an hour and get between $1,000 and $2,000 worth of stock. However, retail staffers say those wages have not kept up with inflation over the years.
While Apple's hourly rates are in-line with similar retail jobs in the markets where Apple Stores are located, retail workers say that those other retail businesses don't bring in as much revenue as Apple and aren't valued at nearly $4 trillion.
Apple Store workers told The Washington Post that their passion and knowledge for Apple products also helps the company drive sales. Because of that, they say they should share more fully in the company's success.
Managers have already started to pull workers aside and convince them that unionization would hurt workers, however. To avoid detection from managers, employees are reportedly meeting in secret and organizing via encrypted messaging apps. Some are even resorting to using Android devices in an effort to avoid potential snooping.
The iPhone maker is planning on increasing benefits for its employees starting in April, including more sick and vacation time. Apple is also preparing to provide raises to some of its retail workers in an effort to retain talent in a tough labor market.
However, workers at several Apple Stores who spoke with The Washington Post say those raises backfired. Some employees said they received raises of less than a dollar per hour and, because of inflation, they effectively make less than when they started.
The efforts to unionize aren't the only employee organizing endeavors within Apple. Back in 2021, a group of staffers began informally organizing under the #AppleToo banner to expose and discuss workplace conditions and allegations of racism, sexism, and inequality within the company.
Toward the end of 2021, the #AppleToo movement renamed itself "Apple Together" and organized a walk out on Dec. 24 to demand better working conditions. The size of the actual strike was unclear.
According to The Washington Post, the retail efforts to unionize are being secretly supported by the contingent of corporate employees. Some corporate staffers have donated to The Coworker Solidarity Fund, which is a nonprofit to help employees from Apple and Netflix who have spoken up about their respective companies.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
That being said, unionising is not necessarily a trouble-free option.
PS: the mathematician in me cringes every time the short million system is used. It's billiard $ not trillion $.
appleinsider.com/articles/22/02/12/apple-prepares-to-dole-out-pay-raises-to-many-us-retail-employees
Preemptive strike I guess.
First of all, as many here know there are different level of hourly employees. At the bottom you have Specialist, Expert, and Pro. There is also Technical Specialist and Technical Expert for those at the Genius Bar. There are also Business Experts and Business Pro. Not sure at what point hourly pay stops and straight annual salary begins- it might be senior store managers and directors are on an annual salary, everyone under them is hourly.
Wages are review on an annual basis with two factors accounting for a raise. The first is has the range of pay for your title gone up. If so, you get compensated for that to make sure you are still making more than someone with less seniority. Then there is a merit raise based on your work performance- sales, AppleCare+ sign ups, business intros, customer survey results, etc.
On top of that, an employee may be granted an amount of money in Restricted Stock Units that vest over the following three years. (An RSU grant in 2020 will vest in thirds in 2023, 2024, and 2025).
Beyond all that are other benefits: Health insurance, a 401(k) plan that the company will match up to 6% (after five years- the match is lower the first five years), sick days and paid vacation days, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and of course, product discounts.
Finally, the opportunity for career advancement through transfers to other stores and through career experiences (temporary assignments to higher or other places to learn other aspects of the company's work) is really amazing.
I am all for unions. They have, overall, made life better for hundreds of millions of Americans over the past century and a quarter, but I really wonder how much better a union could be for Apple retail employees. It could help with investigations of things like alleged discrimination, etc., but I really doubt it can help with compensation and benefits.
If Apple change AS to commission base or performance base, I don’t think the service will be anywhere this good.
I am shocked this is news.
Unionising is a freedom mandated by law.
Cooperations long ago figured out that unions cost them money and flexibility; But as it is illegal for them to disband a union outright they fight their creation with naughty naughty tactics - some more than others.
Never been part of one and I do see the many downsides, but as they say the law is the law.
Besides they have to get i think 30-40% of the workforce to sign up. So two stores is like a drop in the ocean, unless each store is its own legal entity - which I doubt.
The bigger picture is that hyperinflation is probably on its way boys and girls