Apple Store Staff in Australia Unite to Strike, Demanding Better Pay

A horde of Apple store employees in Australia has united for a strike against the company demanding a raise in their pay due to the lack of development on salary negotiations.

A total of 150 Retail and Fast Food Workers Union members (RAFFWU) working for the famous mobile tech company have stated that they will conduct a one-hour work stoppage on October 18 due to their frustration with the current salary they are receiving.

The union also mentioned that its members will refuse to carry out any tasks such as customer service, technical support, product deliveries, scheduling and attending meetings with managers, and even communicating with major telecommunications carriers such as Optus, TPG, and Telstra. If the strike is successful, Apple will not only suffer significant losses in product revenue, but also in chemistry with other tech companies.

The union has asserted that their strike, which will affect at least two major cities in Australia, will be the first ever united strike conducted by retail workers in Australian history. Since the country is known for having a high score in terms of working conditions, whether it is salary or working environment, this coordinated strike by retail workers is absolutely shocking.

Moreover, the union also proposed a deal that included conditions such as a basic salary of AU$31/hour, a decent weekly healthcare allowance of AU$150, the ability to work from home 10 days annually, company pension fund contributions at a greater rate than the one mandated by law, and an increase of 5% in an annual pay raise more than the rates of inflation, whichever one is greater.

RAFFWU federal secretary Josh Cullinan said that the union members were arguing with Apple to include the basic award conditions over set days off for part-time employees and that they had enough of it.

“We’re spending hours and hours explaining why Apple should put in place minimum conditions – things like weekends, things like rosters that don’t change every week,” he said.

“They call these workers part-timers, but they are for all intents and purposes casual workers.”

The tech giant has finally decided to respond to union workers' demands for a weekend by providing full-time Apple employees with two consecutive days off per week, but this does not include set days off. Part-time employees will also be guaranteed a minimum of 19 hours per week, but will have no rights over weekends or set days off.