Workers at some Apple Stores are reportedly planning to unionize. Employees are two stores are close to filing paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board and more are moving in that direction.
They say their goal is a larger share of Apple’s huge profits.
Apple Store employees unionizing for a bigger slice of the pie
The Washington Post reports:
“Spurred by wages that have stagnated below the rate of inflation, and encouraged by successful efforts by Starbucks employees to form unions, retail workers say they hope they can push the world’s most valuable company to share more of its record-setting profits with the workers who sell, repair and troubleshoot the products it sells.”
Apple Store workers receive approximately the same pay as other retail employees in the same areas. But they “believe their knowledge and passion for the products help drive sales and that they should share more fully in the company’s success,” according to The Post.
And Apple is very successful. It declared a net income of $94.7 billion in its last fiscal year.
Perhaps the efforts to unionize to demand higher pay have be buoyed by the recent news that Apple CEO is being given a $99 million compensation package for 2021.
Even without a union, the Apple Store efforts to increase pay will surely be aided by a tight job market. Many employers find themselves competing for quality applicants, and having to increase wages and benefits to hold onto their best employees. Especially in retail, which traditionally offers low paying, stressful jobs. That’s likely the reason the Mac-maker is giving retail store employees more time off.
