Apple Store workers in Australia are planning to go on strike this Christmas season in protest of the company’s refusal to negotiate fair wages and working conditions.
As reported by Reuters (opens in new tab)the workers, who are part of Australia’s Retail and Fast Food Workers Union, will be going on a less than two-day strike the day before Christmas Eve in an attempt to force Apple to the negotiating table.
RAFFWU secretary Josh Cullinan said that “this Christmas strike is a way for our members to take back their time with family and friends while management continues to refuse to give workers the most basic minimum rostering rights.”
Cullinan said that management at Apple’s affected retail locations will be informed of the strike on Monday.
The workers have demands
According to the report, 200 of Apple’s roughly 4,000 employees are expected to participate in the strike. Those participating are expected to walk out of work at 3:00 pm (0400 GMT) on December 23rd and not return until after Christmas, likely on Monday, December 26th.
The union is demanding that Apple offer employees “fixed rosters, known hours of work, weekends of two consecutive days, and an agreed annual wage rise.” The strike is coming in response to failed negotiations between the union and the company with Apple refusing to meet until February of next year.
The strike is expected to have the most impact at the company’s retail locations in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Newcastle where the RAFFWU currently has members. It is unclear at this time how Apple plans to respond to the strike, or whether the company will be impacted in its ability to meet consumer demand in the country during the holiday season.
This is not the first time that Apple workers in Australia have gone on strike. Just in October, the company faced similar strikes from workers who temporarily walked off the job.
