For Apple Instal Strike: Retail Workers Vote for Nationally Coordinated Industrial Action

In a significant move, a group of Apple retail workers has voted in favor of a one-hour stoppage next Tuesday, marking the first nationally co-ordinated strike by retail workers in Australian history. The industrial action is part of a fight with the tech giant over guaranteed days off and better working conditions.

According to reports, as many as 150 members of the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) at Apple have backed the one-hour stoppage next Tuesday over frustration with the lack of progress in bargaining. The union claims that industrial action is the only way to get a better deal for workers.

The strike comes after Apple agreed to extend bargaining until this Thursday, following a cancellation last month of its plan to put its preferred agreement to a direct vote of its almost 4000 staff across 22 sites. Despite this, the company has offered workers base rates at least 17 per cent above the award minimum along with weekend penalty rates in return for flexibility over rosters.

However, the union is pushing for more and claims that the industrial action will hit stores in Brisbane and Newcastle. The stoppage on Wednesday morning is expected to be an as-yet-unscheduled one-hour stoppage, giving the company three days' notice of the action.

Apple is facing efforts to unionize its retail staff around the world, with this strike being a significant milestone in that struggle. The RAFFWU has been vocal about its campaign for better working conditions and fair pay for retail workers, and this industrial action is seen as a major step forward in achieving those goals.

With tensions running high between Apple and its retail staff, it remains to be seen how the company will respond to the strike. However, one thing is clear - retail workers are standing together and demanding better treatment from their employer.

For apple instal Strike