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Dan From Canada

macrumors 6502
Jul 19, 2016
262
953
Not against unions, though I do think in many cases they are no longer necessary or needed with current labour laws. I wonder how long it will be before Apple prices increase to go along with the wage increases and other benefits the unions will start fighting for.
I've worked both and non-union places and there are pros and cons to BOTH sides.
Because we don't know the situation at this particular store all that we can offer is our uninformed opionions.
 

hovscorpion12

macrumors 68030
Sep 12, 2011
2,693
2,669
USA
Unions are typically created due to workplace wages being too low/working conditions/general workplace conduct not held to a specific standard.

I've always held the belief that Apple Store employees don't get their fare share wage wise as well as company benefits that corporate employees may have.

Instead of praise, Tim should take a deeper look with the management team to fix what the employees are asking for.
 

sudo-sandwich

Suspended
Aug 5, 2021
671
558
Sounds good, but unfortunately that is not usually how it works for those companies that just pass on the cost to the consumers and keep their margins high.
It's not that simple. Suppose the cost stayed the same, no union. Apple would raise the prices anyway if it'd make them more money. They've already optimized that.

Now, if a 10% cost (just an example number) is added on, it changes the optimal price but not by 10%. With their margins, I'd wager more like 1%. Still not a fan of the unions, though.
 

MacsRgr8

macrumors G3
Sep 8, 2002
8,288
1,781
The Netherlands
Sounds good, but unfortunately that is not usually how it works for those companies that just pass on the cost to the consumers and keep their margins high.
Or seek cheaper employees elsewhere...
Even though we're discussing a physical store here, companies will, obviously, always seek ways to reduce costs.
Wages too high in US and EU? Well, make the hardware in Asia.
If stores are deemed to become too expensive, raise the retail prices, or they will shut down.
 

sudo-sandwich

Suspended
Aug 5, 2021
671
558
Or seek cheaper employees elsewhere...
Even though we're discussing a physical store here, companies will, obviously, always seek ways to reduce costs.
Wages too high in US and EU? Well, make the hardware in Asia.
If stores are deemed to become too expensive, raise the retail prices, or they will shut down.
There's a reason every fast or semi-fast food restaurant wants me to order from an electronic kiosk now.
 

ninecows

macrumors 6502a
Apr 9, 2012
658
1,051
More money for workers and less money for trillion-dollar companies is always a good thing.
Wauv… some people actually dislikes this comment?!? So they prefer more money to shareholders and top management instead of workers?

Who’s gonna buy the products this company sells then?

If you give lower income groups more money they’re gonna spend it and return it into the society/business. If you give more money to the 1% richest they’re gonna spend it on sending cars into space.
 

jmgregory1

macrumors 68040
I’m sure that there are a fair number of Apple Store employees that are working these jobs as their career / only source of income, but I’ve always thought of retail jobs as being almost transitory. It’s often a stepping stone to something else, or a place to go at the end of your work life (though Apple Stores seem to have a younger employee demographic). I’m not sure joining a union, and paying dues, when you may work somewhere for a year, maybe two, offers enough benefit for this type of employee.

I’ve worked retail jobs starting in high school, through college and have since worked for a retail chain, though at the corporate level and the things I learned working in stores greatly helped me, and continue to do so today as I have been selling products into retail for more than 25 years, so it was definitely a stepping stone for me.

And for anyone who takes a retail Apple job thinking it will give them an “in” at corporate, unionization would likely be the end of the line for them.
 

quietstormSD

macrumors 65816
Mar 2, 2010
1,227
599
San Diego, CA
Not against unions, though I do think in many cases they are no longer necessary or needed with current labour laws. I wonder how long it will be before Apple prices increase to go along with the wage increases and other benefits the unions will start fighting for.
When the tide rises, all the boats go higher. Or something like that? lol

I doubt wages for retail employees will make product prices go higher but what do I know. We already pay a premium for Apple products. What’s $100 more for a bigger more accessible actual middle class.
 

darcyf

macrumors 6502a
Apr 25, 2011
781
1,266
Toronto, ON
Not against unions, though I do think in many cases they are no longer necessary or needed with current labour laws. I wonder how long it will be before Apple prices increase to go along with the wage increases and other benefits the unions will start fighting for.
Labour laws in the US? Where women aren’t even granted maternity leave? Where there’s an ingrained culture of not taking time off from work even for a vacation? Have you been to any other modern industrialized nations? From the outside looking in, the US looks like a terrible place to work.
 

sw1tcher

macrumors 603
Jan 6, 2004
5,483
19,235
Different law sand regulations? It's an entirely different government and way of thinking. No way a communist government will ever let unions happen.
DiDi, JD.com,, Meituan, and Ele.me have all so far managed to set up unions for their employees


probably because of China's belief that companies have become too large, powerful, and wealthy

The government is encouraging companies to implement initiatives to share wealth as part of a recent "common prosperity" drive laid out by President Xi Jinping to ease inequality in the world's second-largest economy.


China also has the largest union in the world, though it's questionable whether they're independent and are truly looking out for the best interest of their members

 

seek3r

macrumors 68020
Aug 16, 2010
2,295
3,271
I'm going to laugh my ass off when Apple shuts down the store or refuses to agree to anything they demand, let them go on strike, then replace them. :D
The number of people in these threads who, like you, are gleefully hoping these workers get utterly screwed and lose their livelihood for daring to collectively bargain for better working conditions really bother me. You and those commenting the same way are somehow incredibly angry at people you’ve never met simply because they want fair wages, protection, and benefits for their labor and I really don’t get it. Why do you want these folks to get screwed? Why do you want it so much you want to not just see it happen but laugh at their misfortune if it did? What did they do to you?
 

seek3r

macrumors 68020
Aug 16, 2010
2,295
3,271
There's a reason every fast or semi-fast food restaurant wants me to order from an electronic kiosk now.
Fun fact: those kiosks don’t usually result in lower staffing levels, they just free up staff to do other things than taking all initial orders, which allows places to expand their menus or increase throughout, or cleanliness, or… etc while keeping the same staffing level
 
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