Employees organizing a union at Apple’s Grand Central retail store in New York City are seeking minimum pay for all workers of US$30 per hour, reports CNBC.
They’re also seeking improved benefits including tuition reimbursement, more accessible vacation time and better retirement options. An Apple employee-led organizing committee is collecting authorization cards, which determines the level of unionization support at the workplace, according to CNBC.
“For pay, we seek a minimum $30 for all workers, built up on a matrix based on role, tenure, and performance,” the organizers — which call their group “Fruit Stand Workers United” said on their website. “For benefits, we seek more robust changes, like increased tuition reimbursement, faster accrued and more vacation time, and better retirement options, including higher match rates for 401(k) and enrollment into pension plans. For health and safety, we look to conduct research into security protocols with customer interactions, and research into track dust, health effects from building materials, and noise pollution at Grand Central.”
Apple employees can make from $17 to more than $30 per hour, depending on their market and experience and receive between $1,000 and around $2,000 in stock, per The Washington Post . However, those wages have not kept up with inflation over the years, they say, which means retail employees are making less as they sell more Apple products.
