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Apple store union survey gives insight into sources of dissatisfaction

The Apple Store union established at the Towson, Maryland, store has issued surveys asking staff what they would like to be the priorities when it comes to negotiating with the company. The detailed list gives a good insight into the sources of dissatisfaction among retail employees

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman obtained a copy of the survey.

Apple retail employees at the Towson, Maryland store (the unionized location) were given bargaining surveys to fill out late last week. These are to guide the union in how they will negotiate with Apple. So far, no changes at store have been implemented due to unionization.

Members are asked to choose up to three issues from a list of eight:

  • Wage increases
  • Improvements to health & welfare benefits
  • Medical costs containment
  • Retirement (i.e., 401(k), pension)
  • Scheduling issues
  • Improved paid time off (i.e., vacation, holidays, sick leave)
  • Respect from employer
  • Increase staffing

The list is also broken down into more detail, and members are asked to rate the importance of each issue from “Not important” to “Essential.”

  • General wage increases
  • Transparency on wages/pay brackets
  • Premium pay for special skills (e.g., non-English-speaking employees)
  • Reduce time it takes to reach maximum rate of pay
  • Add cost-of-living adjustment
  • Add pension plan (see attached)
  • Add profit sharing
  • Improve 401(k) savings plan
  • Improve medical coverage
  • Improve dental coverage
  • Improve vision coverage
  • Improve mental health coverage
  • Improve pet insurance coverage
  • Improve accident and sickness coverage
  • Improve life insurance coverage
  • Medical costs containment
  • Overtime procedures
  • Increase paid holidays
  • More vacation time
  • Improve sick leave benefits
  • Improve policies/procedures for approval of paid time off
  • Improve bereavement pay and/or policy/ies
  • Implement seniority language (i.e., layoff, recall rights, transfers, promotions & shift prefs)
  • Improve job security
  • Respect shown to employees from management
  • Improve communication from management to employees
  • Workplace safety and/or security
  • Health and welfare of employees (i.e., ergonomics, air quality at workplace)
  • Increase input in work design and/or production numbers (to achieve sustainable workload)
  • Improve management’s commitment to employee professional growth and development
  • Clear guidelines for attendance policy
  • Clear guidelines for promotions
  • Improve scheduling and availability
  • Improve work-life balance
  • Implement four-day work week
  • Implement one work-from-home day per pay week
  • Improve “clocking-in/out” policies
  • Increase staffing

Another question asks how members are willing to help with union activities.

We yesterday saw the Apple Store unionization movement make it to Australia, and learned more about the talking points in the company’s anti-union presentations during start-of-shift meetings.

Photo: Aegon Boucicault/Unsplash

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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