Apple Holds Meeting With Retail Staff to Discuss Recent Unionization Activities

[NervousFish2]

So, I am just laughing at all the anti-union comments here. Most service workers in the country are acutely aware of the MASSIVE profits made by big corporations during the pandemic, and the profits that continue to be made, while inflation hawks say the problem is too much wage demand. Service workers endured the greatest risks during the pandemic, yet corporations are now engaging in rent-seeking behavior. Workers are tired and under-paid, with their wages being eaten by 9% per year (so even a modest raise is not even touching cost of living increase). People need to get real. Billions of profits won't be tolerated by poorly-paid workers being devoured by inflation. Don't want to shop at your local apple store because its unionized? Go pay the extra gas money to drive to a further away non-union store. The joke is on you.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

You've stated outright that it's likely that employees will lose those things, but you haven't actually provided any evidence to back up how or why that will happen. All you've done is propose a bad hypothetical, say it would be bad (I'm shocked, shocked!), while skipping over that it's common for unions to have democratic processes for their members to agree or reject agreements negotiated anyway, for example:

Union votes to accept Kern Medical contract offer

Potentially averting a labor strike, union workers at Kern Medical voted this week to accept a contract offer that now awaits approval next week by the hospital's directors.

www.bakersfield.com

Did you look at the survey questions that the union sent out to Apple employees? You know, the survey that’s a part of that democratic process? The survey questions that were literally to provide information to the union about what’s important to the employees? I’m shocked, shocked that you didn’t see OR read them!

In those survey questions, there was no mention of discount stock purchases, OR the education assistance program. So, the union will have no feedback from members on how important those are to the employees. IF, in negotiations, Apple’s willing to raise wages along with cuts to the employee assistance program, the union will not have any information letting them know whether not that’s considered a good trade. Worse, they may look at their documents and see “it looks like employee assistance isn’t important to our members”, but it’s not because it’s actually not important, they didn’t ask!

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I'm sure the more than 10,000 John Deere workers getting 10% raises, and $8,500 bonuses, and a cost of living adjustment, will be along shortly to tell us how angry they are that they got tricked by the concept of collective bargaining:

John Deere Workers Given $8,500 Bonus as Company Buckles to Strike Demands

The employees will receive an immediate pay increase of 10 percent after agreeing to a new six-year deal.

www.newsweek.com

That is, if these engineers in California getting a 7.5% raise and paid family leave don't beat them to it:

New contract for California state union lifts pay by 7.5%, offers family leave in $458M deal

Many state employees are ineligible for California’s landmark paid family leave program. Unions secured no-cost family leave in new deals.

www.sacbee.com

Though I guess the 16,000 British Airways workers here (UK) getting a raise of up to 13%, who are sure to be hopping mad about it could always use use a layover in CA to join them in complaining about how terrible unions are:

Thousands of British Airways workers to get pay rise of up to 13%

Deal for 16,000 workers including cabin crew, engineers and baggage handlers follows strike threat

www.theguardian.com

And while they do it, they can eat chocolate made via the 1,000 Cadbury workers getting up to a 17.5% pay rise, plus 25% more holiday pay here. Though of course, considering how angry they must be at that, it's sure to taste so darned bitter..

Cadbury workers to get 17.5% pay boost, says Unite

More than 1,000 employees will receive the uplift as well as a rise in holiday pay, Unite says.

www.bbc.co.uk

WOW, look at ALL those RETAIL workers livelihoods being improved by… wait, those aren’t retail jobs? Ah, nevermind.

 

[hop]

Did you look at the survey questions that the union sent out to Apple employees? You know, the survey that’s a part of that democratic process? The survey questions that were literally to provide information to the union about what’s important to the employees? I’m shocked, shocked that you didn’t see OR read them!

In those survey questions, there was no mention of discount stock purchases, OR the education assistance program. So, the union will have no feedback from members on how important those are to the employees. IF, in negotiations, Apple’s willing to raise wages along with cuts to the employee assistance program, the union will not have any information letting them know whether not that’s considered a good trade. Worse, they may look at their documents and see “it looks like employee assistance isn’t important to our members”, but it’s not because it’s actually not important, they didn’t ask!

Can you show us how a survey is a binding document that somehow forces employees to accept a negotiated deal that they don't like? Or how that one survey is going to form the basis for the entirely of communication between workers and their union when it comes to their priorities going forward?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Gee it could be that Apple is a rubbish company to work for and treats it's people like dirt. Oh wait it's not Apple's fault its the employees fault for existing. Why everyone is agains6the employees is crazy. Apple is a terrible place to work.

Well, I mean, MOST of the stores aren’t unionized. No, most isn’t actually accurate. More like all but one are NOT unionized. So, did Towson have rubbish managers? I’d count on it as half of the things that are most important to the union are directly related to manager interaction with employees.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Can you show us how a survey is a binding document that somehow forces employees to accept a negotiated deal that they don't like? Or how that one survey is going to form the basis for the entirely of communication between workers and their union when it comes to their priorities going forward?

Hey, I wasn’t the one that created the crappy survey that’s going to be used to help the union when they negotiate with Apple! I mean, MAYBE they’ll get better over time, but if I was an Apple employee, filling out that survey, I wouldn’t have a lot of confidence that the union was serious about maintaining current benefits as they make their demands. (the list includes pet insurance, but NOT stock purchase discounts?)

I’m hoping the employees are letting the union know what a poor job it’s doing so far.

 

[steve09090]

I retired from being a Police Officer in Australia last year. I have a really really good union. I have the best Health Care in the country (although it is expensive, but not as expensive as some). I have a lifetime pension (CPI indexed). I received a gold watch! Albeit. It’s sits in the display case because…. Apple Watch…. I enjoyed fantastic legal representation whilst in the Police. They are not overbearing, they provide great representation for the employee to the employer. We received CPI wage rises. We had great conditions.

But there are some unions out there who are nasty. There are all kinds and everywhere in between.

People need to be aware that if they want the benefits that a union provide they will need to be in the union. It’s a lot easier for an employer to bully an employee who is not in a union, but union is not for everyone.

Make your mind own up. It’s not Unions or Bad, or Unions are good anymore than Companies are good or bad.

 

[vipergts2207]

WOW, look at ALL those RETAIL workers livelihoods being improved by… wait, those aren’t retail jobs? Ah, nevermind.

Yes, because retail workers shouldn’t get to enjoy the benefits a union offers. And while corporations would love people to believe that, retail workers have the benefit of it being impossible to shop their jobs overseas.

 

[everlast3434]

What a big old waste of time all of this is. Non-skilled peoples wanting to unionize SMH. If it’s that bad, just leave and see if the grass is greener over at Chipotle.

 

[jakey rolling]

WOW, look at ALL those RETAIL workers livelihoods being improved by… wait, those aren’t retail jobs? Ah, nevermind.

What do you think the significance is of whether employees are in the retail sector or not? Do you not think that retail employees deserve benefits, vacation, a decent wage, etc? Or do you think they should just f🍎ck off and get you your latte like good little plebs?

 

[AdonisSMU]

A 2 trillion dollar company can afford a retail workers union. Im sorry but I agree with the unions on this one. I like Apple products but unions must be respected.

 

[everlast3434]

I remember I had a union job, as a chef, once. First day, I was trying to prove my worth, and this old guy was like: if you want to work hard, go work somewhere else. I quit the same day. I’ll never forget that LOL

 

[steve09090]

WFH employees should be included in unionisation to ensure they mandate regular "Pat the Cat" time! Laziness can be mandated then!

 

[hop]

Hey, I wasn’t the one that created the crappy survey that’s going to be used to help the union when they negotiate with Apple! I mean, MAYBE they’ll get better over time, but if I was an Apple employee, filling out that survey, I wouldn’t have a lot of confidence that the union was serious about maintaining current benefits as they make their demands. (the list includes pet insurance, but NOT stock purchase discounts?)

I’m hoping the employees are letting the union know what a poor job it’s doing so far.

Nope, but you are the one holding it up as somehow being evidence for your claims, despite how it obviously isn't.

 

[jakey rolling]

What a big old waste of time all of this is. Non-skilled peoples wanting to unionize SMH. If it’s that bad, just leave and see if the grass is greener over at Chipotle.

Non-skilled employees are the ones most needing to join a union. They are the ones who are the most vulnerable to terrible employers and have to suffer the worst working conditions.

The attitude you and others in this thread have shown toward retail/non-skilled workers is enough for anyone to see why these groups unionizing is not a "big old waste of time".

 

[AdonisSMU]

1) All one needs to do is web search on union corruption to see the 'why'.

2) No one should be forced to join a union and pay dues to be employed. Right to work FTW! If you like the idea of unions, pay your dues, if you don't, don't.

3) Unions also tend to support only one political party leaving some percentage of members paying to support a party they don't want to support.

4) Seniority based system for preferred shifts and overtime. How about a skill/performance based system?

5) Look at any major democrat run city and see how the city is overburdened by retirement benefits awarded to unions instead of salary increases. Kicking the can down the road at its finest. Then when the cities increase taxes to pay for these Cadillac retirement programs the people of that city freak out and leave.... in droves.

6) General thuggery when construction contracts are won by non-union companies. Web search 'scabby the union rat' and how those construction sites suffer 'unfortunate acts of vandalism'.

7) No ability to negotiate for yourself, you get what the union has negotiated.

8) Protection of problematic employees. I have personally seen union employees protected even though they were caught stealing, sleeping, masturbating and sexually harassing other employees. In one instance, the sexual harassment one, the employee was fired but filed a grievance and won, was brought back after a year, seniority intact, back pay, etc. No consequences at all even though 10 people all saw and heard the harassment.

Point #4 is so subjective that you may as well go with seniority. Exceptions can be made for the exceptional.

Point #5 is also false. No one is leaving in droves. The largest growing city in the US was and still is NYC.

 

[vipergts2207]

Non-skilled employees are the ones most needing to join a union. They are the ones who are the most vulnerable to terrible employers and have to suffer the worst working conditions.

The attitude you and others in this thread have shown toward retail/non-skilled workers is enough for anyone to see why these groups unionizing is not a "big old waste of time".

Yup, some people seem to have the belief that we need a permanent underclass. A large group of people one paycheck away from being homeless, with minimal vacation, and slim to no retirement benefits. Why? To keep the goods and services these very same people provide as cheap as possible for their own monetary benefit. However instead of being worried about the lowly hourly workers making a few extra bucks, causing their costs to go up, maybe they should be looking at the corporate executives and wealthy shareholders demanding more and more profit for themselves.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Why does the US have such an aversion to unions?

Many people want to be rewarded for having money and not for what they contribute to society.

 

[NY Guitarist]

The LAST thing pure capitalism wants is competition of any kind.

 

[cylack]

Those managers forced to simp for the world’s wealthiest company!

 

[steve09090]

Yup, some people seem to have the belief that we need a permanent underclass. A large group of people one paycheck away from being homeless, with minimal vacation, and slim to no retirement benefits. Why? To keep the goods and services these very same people provide as cheap as possible for their own monetary benefit.

That’s what Socialism is aimed at abolishing. Yet we’re 'programmed to believe' that anything other than a pure democracy (which the US is definitely not) is the only way forward.

 

[Muzzakus]

Union for retail workers. It’s the most common employment category. This would just protect the dead wood and lower service.

 

[tranceme]

Unfortunately, like everything, some unions are good for employees and others suck. We'll see. Could be a train wreck and just cost consumers more. Again, not sure.

For example, at Ford plants, workers screw around often since it's really hard to get fired on the line there. My good friend had a person on the line that basically wouldn't work. Took them 2 months to get the person fired. Person told them "thanks for the vacation...see you soon". 3 weeks later they ran into this person again as they were hired back. That is a union fail. They union fought and get them back in. My friend learned quickly that happen all the time. I assume that is why quality for Ford is an issue. But, then again, quality is an issue at Tesla at times too. Either you have unhappy and sometime overworked employees that won't do good work or happy employee because they don't have to work.

But, on the flip side, a friend of mine was being worked like crazy by UPS (70-80 hours) a week and no days off. Union stepped in and got the hours reduce. Union success.

I guess where I live the Apple employees must be drinking the great Apple koolaid as they seem happy. Maybe their family is being held hostage the back room. Or maybe depending the store, they line the job and environment. Some of the ones I talk to say they like going work.

 

[vipergts2207]

That’s what Socialism is aimed at abolishing. Yet we’re 'programmed to believe' that anything other than a pure democracy (which the US is definitely not) is the only way forward.

I’m not sure why you’re bringing up democracy and socialism as if they’re mutually exclusive.

 

[Apleeseed84]

Cool story. How about the millions that have been laid off for no fault of their own due to corporate greed?

Yeah, how bout how I got fired when I got promoted to management. I live in at will state.

It’s not a cool story, that’s the freaking CWA for you, he also had a rare skin condition that gave him rashes whenever he scratched his skin and needed some white powder at all times because he straight up flaked big chunks of skin sometimes
. I get what you are saying the union helped a lot of times but i also hated the entire seniority BS aspect of it, oh look they have been there for 20 + lets roll out the good schedules and work for them And leave the lower seniority peeps working the messed up jobs, when 95% of the new workers are more efficient than the senior guys where I worked at.

Going back to that comment I made the dude, he had a legit disability but he was also a benefit abuser that’s why he milked fmla, whenever he did work, management Tried to go to the jobs he did do and find quality work which was horrible because he didn’t care and whenever they wanted to have a meeting he called in FMLA.

I remember one time he told his primary care doctor just signs them easily whenever he asked and when he got let go and re hired six months later he got sent to another side of town.

Unions are great because for sure corporate greed like you mentioned is what got me fired in the first place, they created a new department as a pet project that was excellent when we first started and then increased their numbers to a ridiculous quota because “numbers”, NOW i heard they went from salary to hourly and got an union so just my luck as usual.