Employees at Apple’s unionized Towson, Maryland retail store are negotiating with Apple for new benefits. Bloomberg reports that so far employee representatives have asked for higher pay, tips, and changes to leave policies.
The representatives have requested raises of up to 10% and they want Apple to allow them to accept tips from customers, with the option to offer 3%, 5%, or custom tips when checking out with an in-store credit card transaction. “This will allow thankful patrons the ability to express gratitude for a job well done without any obligations,” the union said. Tip money would be split among employees based on hours worked.
The union is also requesting double-time pay for employees working more than eight hours per day or 40 hours a week. It also wants more pay for employees working overtime on weekends. Employees are also demanding higher pay over a larger number of holidays, a $1 an hour more for workers who become first-aid certified, up to 34 weeks of severance pay in the event of a layoff, extended paid bereavement leave up to 45 days per year, (pets and close friends would be included under the bereavement leave), and expanded vacation pay.
The union said that “these are initial proposals” and that this “is a negotiation.”
The Towson Apple Store was the first of the Cupertino company’s retail locations in the U.S. to unionize. Since then, workers at a location in Oklahoma City voted to unionize, though they haven’t yet begun negotiations with Apple. Unionization efforts in Atlanta and St. Louis were canceled.