Australian Employees of Apple stores go on Strike
The strike occurs as more US workers attempt to unionize
Apple is facing unionization initiatives across the board, not only among its retail staff. According to the New York Times, after talks for better compensation and working conditions stalled on Tuesday, 150 store employees went on strike for an hour. On Wednesday, they declined to offer a variety of services, including handling deliveries and fixing AirPods.
The striking workers demonstrated their support for labor unions and demanded a number of adjustments, such as pay raises and schedules with two consecutive days off. In negotiations with unions, Apple had raised the minimum wage to $27.64 AUD (approximately $17.35 US), but the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association union referred to that as a "true salary drop" that failed to take inflation into account. This group demands a pay that is around $31 AUD ($19.53 US), which is what Americans make. The employees claimed that the existing scheduling makes weekends challenging.
There are accusations Apple is employing anti-union strategies, same like in the US. The Association alleges that Apple obstructed attempts by labor organizers to poll workers in advance of negotiations. Apple allegedly pushed to hasten the voting on the agreement.
Apple claimed part-timers could designate four or more days of availability and refuted claims that it hurried the vote. Additionally, they receive two-week-ahead timetables. The iPhone manufacturer claims that it is "among the highest-paying" businesses in Australia and has made "several" enhancements to its benefits in a statement to The Times.
The labor unrest in the US contributed to the strike and task refusals. There, employees at an increasing number of Apple outlets have made different attempts to join unions. Although workers at a shop in Towson, Maryland, were able to unionize, rumors soon spread that Apple was allegedly withholding benefits while talks with the union were ongoing. The business appears to have promoted anti-union talking points that claimed formal representation may worsen circumstances in many of its outlets. Although it is not a given that American workers will strike like their Australian counterparts, it is clear that the outrage is growing.
