Apple Store

[Mott]

38 years on the ATSF/BNSF, a closed shop. The anti union people would love for members to opt out of their dues, but still have the union protect them at investigations for rules infractions, or train wrecks. And many of my fellow Oklahoma trainmen would love to not pay dues, like ignoring tolls on the Turnpike to Tulsa, etc. But the ‘right to work’ only applies to in state companies. Interstate, like Apple, or the BNSF doesn’t count. Allowing workers to opt out of their dues, from the union that got them the hourly wage, vacation, holiday pay, time and one half for being away from the family on Sunday, or Christmas, is only union busting, nothing more.

[AlexReportsOKC]

I've been covering it since the beginning, and I will continue to cover it. I'll cover any labor related stories.

[fortpatches]

The restriction is (in relevant part) "No person shall be required, as a condition of employment or continuation of employment, to: (3.) Pay any dues, fees, assessments, or other charges of any kind or amount to a labor organization." (Okla. Const. art. 23, § 1A[pdf])

I think the person you are responding to is referring to a fee for being placed on the Union's seniority roster. Generally, calculating vacations, pensions, pay checks, and other benefits, layoffs and recalls, job bidding, and available shifts are offered based on Seniority. The Union obviously wouldn't want the Employer to be able to provide "better" benefits to non-Union employees than to union members. There are also agreed upon regulations around how seniority is calculated and how to resolve seniority conflicts between employees. My understanding is that this administrative work has a small maintenance fee that, if non-Union employees want to pay, the Union will add the non-Union employee to the seniority roster.

[Soonerinfiniti]

https://www.macrumors.com/2023/05/03...-negotiations/

So now I have to tip the Apple Store employee? Geesh....

[David]

https://www.macrumors.com/2023/05/03...-negotiations/

So now I have to tip the Apple Store employee? Geesh....

Employee representatives have requested raises of up to 10 percent and they want Apple to implement a tipping system that would provide 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.

Only if you think having the option to tip makes it required.

[Jeepnokc]

Options for 3% or 5% indicates to IMHO that they know they are kind of pushing adding a tip for retail services. But, if they spend the time trouble shooting your device and fixing it....tip may be appropriate.

I was at the drive through daiquiri shop in South Padre this last weekend and the tip options were 20%, 50% and 100%. I guess they are counting on the tight shorts and low cut shirts to entice all the guys tip more.

[OkiePoke]

Tipping is out of control.

[Richard at Remax]

I used to feel bad. Not anymore. Unless it's full service restaurant it's not happening.

This is a whole other level though. These people, I would assume, are on salary. If not, their hourly rates are probably pretty good. They are doing their job helping you out.

[Pete]

It's a way of shifting pay to the consumer.

I absolutely hate being prompted to give a tip at the counter when 1) you have yet to receive any service other than taking your order; and 2) the employee is standing right there watching.

It's completely contrary to the whole idea of tipping and and I avoid places that use that approach.

[okatty]

Paid my yard weed/fertilizer bill online today and was prompted for a tip to the worker who did the application.

[BDP]

I absolutely hate being prompted to give a tip at the counter when 1) you have yet to receive any service other than taking your order; and 2) the employee is standing right there watching.

It's completely contrary to the whole idea of tipping and and I avoid places that use that approach.

In addition, I think a lot of the "all in one" POS systems (square, clover, toast) include it as the default on their restaurant terminals. Of course, this is because they get the CC processing fees, which are a percent of sales, so they want higher ticket totals, too.

It basically feels like you are now tipping upfront to avoid a negative experience, instead of tipping in response to a positive experience.

[Bits_Of_Real_Panther]

I include a monthly tip when I pay my mortgage

Just kidding

Apple store could be a vending machine

Except for the troubleshooting stuff

[catch22]

I went to a beer garden in Denver that had a "We don't do individual tips, but a flat 20% tip on all orders is applied and shared equally to employees" policy. My eyes nearly rolled out of their sockets.

1: I will tip well in excess of 20% if service is good by someone serving me if they receive that tip. If they tip share I bring that percent way down. My regular bartender at a bar that doesn't do tip share gets a 30% minimum from me. That percentage goes up on great nights, and I have a habit of forgetting their mediocre nights. I don't extend that same courtesy to bad servers.

2: Don't charge me a fee for your labor costs. Include it in your prices. It should not ever be a separate line item for the customer.

3: Tip share punishes excellent servers while rewarding mediocre service. The good servers are paying for the bad ones. Sink or swim. If your tips suck but everyone else has fat pockets at the end of the night maybe your skills and attitude need polishing.

[FighttheGoodFight]

I went to a beer garden in Denver that had a "We don't do individual tips, but a flat 20% tip on all orders is applied and shared equally to employees" policy. My eyes nearly rolled out of their sockets.

1: I will tip well in excess of 20% if service is good by someone serving me if they receive that tip. If they tip share I bring that percent way down. My regular bartender at a bar that doesn't do tip share gets a 30% minimum from me. That percentage goes up on great nights, and I have a habit of forgetting their mediocre nights. I don't extend that same courtesy to bad servers.

2: Don't charge me a fee for your labor costs. Include it in your prices. It should not ever be a separate line item for the customer.

3: Tip share punishes excellent servers while rewarding mediocre service. The good servers are paying for the bad ones. Sink or swim. If your tips suck but everyone else has fat pockets at the end of the night maybe your skills and attitude need polishing.

That is so confusing to not just put that in the prices. I wish in the US they would just include the full price on menu items. Stop with all the hiding of taxes and surcharges.

[Anonymous.]

https://www.macrumors.com/2023/05/03...-negotiations/

So now I have to tip the Apple Store employee? Geesh....

Did anyone else read the demands of this union?

Up to 45 days of bereavement for pets? Anything more than 1 day with direct supervisor permission already seems like pushing it.

[catch22]

Contract language is often more detailed than these summaries. It would not surprise me if it is a tiered system. Up to 4 weeks for a legal spouse or child. 3 weeks for grandparent immediate brother, sister, etc. 2 days for a pet etc. but in no instance greater than 45 days in a calendar year.

I believe it is unfair to call them demands, as this sounds like an initial proposal at the negotiating table. You have to start somewhere. Demand infers a negative tone to how these negotiations are going.

[Anonymous.]

^ You are probably right. Just a bad article. My current employer only allows 3 days of bereavement for any immediate family member. Which is insane to think about. 3 days to grieve a child or spouse? Yea okay.

And yes, demands probably isn't the best choice of words.

[catch22]

^ You are probably right. Just a bad article. My current employer only allows 3 days of bereavement for any immediate family member. Which is insane to think about. 3 days to grieve a child or spouse? Yea okay.

And yes, demands probably isn't the best choice of words.

I love my dogs more than any human I have ever met. I already know I will be calling in sick for at least a week or two when the inevitable happens. Even with my union, I think my company is also 3 paid days for an immediate family member, but they typically grant a reasonable amount of unpaid time in addition to that.

[gjl]

I worked in a large union manufacturing plant for 26 years. We got 3 days bereavement for immediate family members. I think back then it would have been laughable to ask for any bereavement days for a pet. And I lost 2 dogs during those 26 years.

[Midtowner]

Options for 3% or 5% indicates to IMHO that they know they are kind of pushing adding a tip for retail services. But, if they spend the time trouble shooting your device and fixing it....tip may be appropriate.

I was at the drive through daiquiri shop in South Padre this last weekend and the tip options were 20%, 50% and 100%. I guess they are counting on the tight shorts and low cut shirts to entice all the guys tip more.

I worked 8 years at Radio Shack trouble shooting electronics people bought elsewhere. I never once accepted a tip and wasn't allowed to solicit or accept them. This is ridiculous. Apple should pay their employees well enough to not require tips. You shouldn't get extra money for doing your job. If you're good at your job, you should simply get a raise.

[jn1780]

I used to feel bad. Not anymore. Unless it's full service restaurant it's not happening.

This is a whole other level though. These people, I would assume, are on salary. If not, their hourly rates are probably pretty good. They are doing their job helping you out.

This increase in tipping prompts will hurt every industry in the long run. I used to feel bad also, but now ii hit zero more often. My rule is if the worker doesn't interact with you for more than 5 minutes your not getting a tip.

[Pete]

^

I stand in line, then wait to go back up to pick up my food, then throw away my trash and return a tray if there is one.

What these places are doing is no different than fast food and as a society, it was decided long ago that that type of work isn't tipped.

If that has changed, then literally every job that interfaces with a customer should be tipped which is an absurd construct.

[gjl]

Swadleys for example. You order and pay at the counter. There is a prompt on the CC reader for a tip. I select 0. Then you walk to your table. An employee comes to your table and fills your drink glasses and brings you any sauce or other condiments/pickles/onions if requested. They will refill your drinks during the meal. Typically a different employee brings out your food. I usually try and give the original employee $5 cash personally before we leave but not a percent of the total cost of the meal. What would you do at a place like that?

[Martin]

Swadleys for example. You order and pay at the counter. There is a prompt on the CC reader for a tip. I select 0. Then you walk to your table. An employee comes to your table and fills your drink glasses and brings you any sauce or other condiments/pickles/onions if requested. They will refill your drinks during the meal. Typically a different employee brings out your food. I usually try and give the original employee $5 cash personally before we leave but not a percent of the total cost of the meal. What would you do at a place like that?

i've long wondered if swadley's tipping method violates credit card merchant agreements. if you pay via card and choose to add a tip, they hand you the cash amount to put on the table. maybe the policies have changed, but my understanding is that most credit card companies have special rules/rates for using cards to get cash.

[gjl]

i've long wondered if swadley's tipping method violates credit card merchant agreements. if you pay via card and choose to add a tip, they hand you the cash amount to put on the table. maybe the policies have changed, but my understanding is that most credit card companies have special rules/rates for using cards to get cash.

I don't think you get cash or ever looked at it that way when you add a tip at the point of sale and didn't mean to imply that you did. No different than adding a tip at a regular sit down restaurant when you add a tip to the tab. You don't get cash back there . The cash tip I give at Swadleys I already had in my pocket.