The salient tussle between iOS and Android will probably not end anytime soon. Moreso, employees from iOS or Android seem to stick with the platform they work for. However, this is not the case with Apple’s iOS at the moment. There are reports that employees in Apple Store are now scrambling to use Android smartphones. The company’s management believes that this is an embarrassment and must stop. These employees are switching over to Android for a reason.
A few days ago, there were reports that some Apple retail store employees want to form a union. For this reason, these employees are switching over to Android phones to avoid Apple spying on them. This is not to say they are ditching their Apple smartphones. However, for all communication with respect to the union, it will be over an Android phone.
Apple through its store managers is already trying to dissuade employees from forming a union. Nevertheless, these employees are very serious and are not backing down. An internal source said that the union organizers hold secret meetings, communicate using encrypted messages, and sometimes even exclusively use Android phones instead of iPhones.
Apple this week offered to raise wages and boost benefits for employees. However, employees at several Apple retail stores said some raises were insufficient, as the pay increase was less than $1 an hour. The employees claim that the wage growth is not keeping pace with inflation. “I have a lot of colleagues and friends that I really love, but they don’t earn enough to live on,” said an Apple retail employee organizer.
Apple employee union in the U.S.
The reports that Apple Store employees are trying the form a union are coming from the U.S. There is no indication that employees outside of the U.S. have a similar plan. The reports so far reveal that the employees already have plans to file with the National Labor Relations Board. Although, it would appear that a simple fix to this issue will be for Apple to sack them. However, it is not so easy because the company does not know the exact employees. Furthermore, it is not exactly easy to fire an employee in the U.S. The company will not want the litigation and possible public outburst that could follow. Thus, the company is trying to be as diplomatic as it can be.
Apple pays retail employees between $17-$30 an hour, depending on job title and seniority. However, workers say those wages are nothing compared to inflation. Apple Store managers are reminding employees that the company may have to take action against the employees. This could hurt employees, lower wages, and force Apple to strip them of benefits and opportunities. Furthermore, managers are trying to eavesdrop on employees’ conversations to know who is involved.
