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You can see other videos from our team by tapping here. The company hikes the hourly pay for retail staff to at least US $22 per hour, up from a previous US $20 minimum, the company told employees on Wednesday. The pay bump came in February after the inflation grew more severe and some staffers complained about working conditions during the COVID-19 epidemic. Apple said the change for hourly workers represents a 45 per cent increase in starting rates since 2018, and is reflected in our deep gratitude for the extraordinary work of our valued team members. The increases will go into effect in July, about three months earlier than Apple typically issues annual raises, the company told retail and some corporate teams. At a time of inflation, a resurgence of the epidemic and competition from other tech firms, which are eager to lure away Apple talent, keeping workers happy has become more difficult. The requirement for returning to the office three days a week was recently put on hold by the Cupertino, California-based company.
In its retail division, Apple is contending with union efforts in many U.S. states. The company's retail chief, Deirdre O Brien, warned employees about taking such a step. She said in a video to staff that we have a relationship that is based on open and collaborative and direct engagement. I worry about what it would mean to put another organization in the middle of our relationship. There is a chance that companies will announce improvements while battling unionization campaigns, but doing so may interfere with employees' freedom of choice, according to Charlotte Garden, a Seattle University labour law professor. The risk is that workers perceive that keeping the improvements is contingent on voting against union representation, and that if they vote for the union, the company will play hardball, Garden said in an email.
Apple's corporate compensation packages are typically a combination of cash, cash bonuses and stock. The company's shares have fallen about 20 per cent this year, which is a blow to what workers can expect to make. Apple also gives some equity to retail employees, but those packages are relatively small, typically ranging from US $1,000 to US $2,500 in shares annually. The data released Wednesday shows that inflation is playing a role in driving up pay expectations, with U.S consumer prices rising an annual 8.3 per cent increase in April. Apple has around 170,000 employees, including retail workers, AppleCare technical support staff, and its corporate workforce. The starting retail wage of the company is well above the U.S. minimum, which has been US $7.25 since 2009. In California, companies with at least 26 employees are required to pay $15 an hour. New York City has a US $15 wage floor. Increasing pay isn't Apple's only recent move to improve working conditions. The company has expanded its vacation, sick leave and child-care perks for both full-time and part-time retail employees.