Unionized Apple Store employees seek tips and higher holiday pay

Apple Store employees at the unionized Apple Towson Town Center store in Maryland, US are seeking a 10% raise, more vacation time and the option to receive tips from customers, as reported by Bloomberg.

The employees, represented by the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers, are conducting negotiations with Apple on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the report, with the workers seeking changes that could affect the company’s tightly controlled retail experience.

As part of the talks, it is said that retail employees want Apple to adopt a new system that would allow workers to receive tips from customers, with the union saying that tips would allow customers to “express gratitude for a job well done without any obligations,” something that Apple strictly prohibits under its current store rules.

Apple has been historically resistant to the idea of unionization. In recent years, there have been several efforts by Apple Store workers to unionize to negotiate better pay, benefits, and working conditions, with Apple Towson Town Center store in Maryland being the first location to officially unionize in the US last year.