Australian Apple Store employees agree to new contract terms with increased base pay
Apple retail employees in Australia have signed off on four-year contract with the company that will see base pay rates jump some 16 percent from the previous terms agreed to in 2009.
According to ifoAppleStore, about 90 percent of Apple's 2,372 retail workers spread across 21 outlets voted in favor of the new contract (PDF download), which was certified on Friday by Australia's Fair Work Commission. The contract becomes effective on Nov. 1.
With the 2014 to 2017 agreement, workers are split into three levels and further broken down by full-time and "casual" categories. Level 1 employees -- specialists and Geniuses -- will receive $20.95 per hour (about $22.44 AUD), while Level 2 starts at $25.26 ($27.06 AUD). Casual employees get about 25 percent more per hour in lieu of health benefits. The highest Level 3 is reserved for managers who will make an annual salary of $72,799 ($77,997.25 AUD).
As noted by the publication, Apple's starting pay level is 25 percent higher than Australia's minimum wage and includes a statutory two-percent annual increase on continued employment.
The contract covers overtime pay, working hours, meal allowances and other specifics. Of note, a section on grievances points out that employees are entitled to "redundancy" pay when a position is no longer needed. Under the stipulation, workers can be paid up to 20 weeks' worth of wages when terminated. Additional perks include a $29.56 bonus very two weeks for employees with first aid certification, "Community Service Leave" and a provision that gives time off for donating blood up to four times a year.
ifoAppleStore points out that Apple's contract also makes mention of bag checks. In 2013, former Apple employees in the U.S. sued the company in a class action lawsuit over lost wages associated with said bag checks. Under the Australian contract, Apple is allowed to "conduct random bag and or locker inspections at any time" and requires employees "to participate and fully co-operate and present your bag/locker or personal effects for inspection."
According to ifoAppleStore, about 90 percent of Apple's 2,372 retail workers spread across 21 outlets voted in favor of the new contract (PDF download), which was certified on Friday by Australia's Fair Work Commission. The contract becomes effective on Nov. 1.
With the 2014 to 2017 agreement, workers are split into three levels and further broken down by full-time and "casual" categories. Level 1 employees -- specialists and Geniuses -- will receive $20.95 per hour (about $22.44 AUD), while Level 2 starts at $25.26 ($27.06 AUD). Casual employees get about 25 percent more per hour in lieu of health benefits. The highest Level 3 is reserved for managers who will make an annual salary of $72,799 ($77,997.25 AUD).
As noted by the publication, Apple's starting pay level is 25 percent higher than Australia's minimum wage and includes a statutory two-percent annual increase on continued employment.
The contract covers overtime pay, working hours, meal allowances and other specifics. Of note, a section on grievances points out that employees are entitled to "redundancy" pay when a position is no longer needed. Under the stipulation, workers can be paid up to 20 weeks' worth of wages when terminated. Additional perks include a $29.56 bonus very two weeks for employees with first aid certification, "Community Service Leave" and a provision that gives time off for donating blood up to four times a year.
ifoAppleStore points out that Apple's contract also makes mention of bag checks. In 2013, former Apple employees in the U.S. sued the company in a class action lawsuit over lost wages associated with said bag checks. Under the Australian contract, Apple is allowed to "conduct random bag and or locker inspections at any time" and requires employees "to participate and fully co-operate and present your bag/locker or personal effects for inspection."
Comments
Now they can spend more.
http://m.theage.com.au/business/genius-deal-apples-staff-paid-less-than-coles-checkout-workers-20140606-39nvc.html
http://www.smh.com.au/business/genius-deal-apples-staff-paid-less-than-coles-checkout-workers-20140606-39nvc.html
Depends which fountain you drink from for news, but you'll get more working at ALDI than working for Apple.
It looks like they traded penalties for weekend work and settled for less than inflation on their annual increases. Sounds like a sweet deal. Only slightly less shit than the deal they left behind.
You can get more in Australia working stacking shelves in a supermarket. I suppose working at Apple is more interesting though.
US too. Entry level grocery store wage is $11-12 plus full benefits here in California which is about a buck more than Apple Store. It's higher than Best Buy which is around $8-9.
Apple Store is far less physical though. How often do you see somebody on their knees restocking cans or hauling pallets around or sorting rotten fruit in an Apple Store?
Pay is all relative to where you live. Around my area, $20-25/hr is a pretty damn good wage, especially with full benefits. What isn't good in some areas is excellent in others.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/genius-deal-apples-staff-paid-less-than-coles-checkout-workers-20140606-39nvc.html
Depends which fountain you drink from for news, but you'll get more working at ALDI than working for Apple.
It looks like they traded penalties for weekend work and settled for less than inflation on their annual increases. Sounds like a sweet deal. Only slightly less shit than the deal they left behind.
21$*40h = 840$/week, which is quite higher than the 750$ cited for Coles, and the 700$/week minimum for retail workers.
So the annual increments of 2% at less than inflation means effective pay cuts, eroding this pay rise over time? Way to go Apple! /sarcasm.
The pay is probably ok if you're young or a student, as many Apple staff seem to be, but it's hardly good money for a career. Even that manager pay is pretty crappy. But then I don't expect Apple wants older and experienced staff, not even for their "genius" positions. Any employer that doesn't recognise or value (pay) age and experience is making a mistake in my book.
Also, the things Apple staff have to do sometimes around the time of special events in particular...you couldn't pay me enough to chant, clap and high five customers like some kind of crazy cultist fanboy! It's weirder than even those wacky Krishnas you see dancing in the city.
I actually think most Apple staff are great and deserve high and better wages for the great service they provide. They're a pillar of Apple's success and profitability.
FYI, the minimum wage in Oz ($18) is about twice what it is in the USA, so $22 isn't that much above the floor. As pointed out by others though, it's more interesting and less strenuous than the usual low wage job and they get a lot of retail- and technical training along the way. They look a fairly happy crew in the picture!
21$*40h = 840$/week, which is quite higher than the 750$ cited for Coles, and the 700$/week minimum for retail workers.
The agreement is for 38hrs a week.
Coles for a checkout operator is 773/38hrs a week at entry level for full time workers
The new Apple agreement is 673/38hrs at entry level for full time workers.
The "approximately $22.44" for entry level quoted in the article is actually *exactly* the casual rate for an entry level worker. Ie, the poor suckers who get rostered to cover the gaps. They get more because they don't get the same leave entitlements of full and part time employees. In fact, they don't get them at all. There's no "health benefits" in that lot either. We have socialised medicine because we're damned commie pinkos so the article posted here which I responded to is pretty much just made up.
So I wouldn't be crowing that this is somehow a great deal for Apple employees. It's actually decidedly average. Not bad, not good. Just meh.
The agreement is for 38hrs a week.
Coles for a checkout operator is 773/38hrs a week at entry level for full time workers
The new Apple agreement is 673/38hrs at entry level for full time workers.
from ifoapplestore :
"When the agreement becomes effective this November 1st, starting pay for full-time Level 1 employees will be $20.95 per hour (all rates in U.S. dollars), and Level 2 will start at $25.26. Casual employees will receive 25 percent more per hour to offset fewer benefits."
and they have the pdf, so those values are not arguable.
so Apple agreement is 798$/38hrs still 3% higher than what you quote for Coles and is already 20$ higher than the reference (750$) you quoted earlier. Non overly generous but correct.
Strange that you insist to lie twice though.
Heh,
Perhaps you should read the agreement. 673 and some cents weekly for Retail 1. $17.71/hr Part Time. $22.14/hr Casual. I don't really see what's so controversial about my statement. It's not wrong.
edit: that was the old agreement
The article's author fundamentally misunderstands how the agreement characterises pay. The $20.96 you're banging on about is the *CASUAL* rate converted to US bux. It provides *EXTRA* compensation for the leave benefits which casual worker does not get. The full time worker will get somewhat less than that because they still get paid when they call in sick or take a holiday.
Edit: bad conclusion based on original premise.
Honestly, look at the agreement and see who's making shit up. I don't expect you recant your assertion that I'm lying (it's the internet after all) but you should check your facts before your come in and start swinging your thing around.
Edit: who's swinging what?
Additionally, the article talks about a statutory two percent pay bump every year. There is no such thing. It's in the agreement for sure but there's no law saying pay needs to go up by that amount every year.
Edit: well I got one thing right.
All of those increased costs will just be passed on to Australian customers anyway, so... Enjoy, Australia!
In this case I doubt it. Even if you calculate out the GST portion, markups on electronics are extremely high in Australia. They're probably doing well there no matter what. If it moved way out of alignment, I would see it as more likely to influence the number of Apple-branded retail stores that are opened there. I don't live there, but I have spent a lot of time there. I can also tell you some of their bigger cities (Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne) are extremely expensive with relatively high taxes. It doesn't go as far as you might expect. I mention bigger cities because those are the ones that are most likely to have Apple retail stores.
Not true. Wages where increased in the US a few years back. The starting wage for an Apple Specialist is $16 an hour.
Quote:
Heh,
Perhaps you should read the agreement. 673 and some cents weekly for Retail 1. $17.71/hr Part Time. $22.14/hr Casual. I don't really see what's so controversial about my statement. It's not wrong.
The article's author fundamentally misunderstands how the agreement characterises pay. The $20.96 you're banging on about is the *CASUAL* rate converted to US bux. It provides *EXTRA* compensation for the leave benefits which casual worker does not get. The full time worker will get somewhat less than that because they still get paid when they call in sick or take a holiday.
Honestly, look at the agreement and see who's making shit up. I don't expect you recant your assertion that I'm lying (it's the internet after all) but you should check your facts before your come in and start swinging your thing around.
Additionally, the article talks about a statutory two percent pay bump every year. There is no such thing. It's in the agreement for sure but there's no law saying pay needs to go up by that amount every year.
You are indeed either lying or have strong reading comprehension problems :
rate is $20.15 immediatly for full time and $25.18 casual and those are US $ per schedule A page 14 of the 2014 agreement linked at from the ifoapplestore article.
that means 21.59AUD for full time.
On first november it is $20.55 with 2% increases every year (which is ok right now but not favorable if inflation start again)
My bad. The 2009 agreement is also annexed and was what I read.
However, it's an Australian agreement so I have no idea why you think it's expressed in USD.
The 20.15 you're talking about is already AUD. It's an Australian agreement. And it's still less than Coles agreement which is 20.30 for the least paid full time employee.
High stakes game, this internet.
There's no "health benefits" in that lot either. We have socialised medicine because we're damned commie pinkos...
...whose taxes are spent on something that benefits us.