A lot of misleading info above. Australia may have the third highest minimum wage in the world, but it is also the third most expensive place to live in.
To put things into perspective: The minimum wage will become AUD$641.00 per week in 2015. Retail workers at Myer Department Stores are paid AUD$708 per week. Apple 'Geniuses' will now get AUD$750 per week. Coles Supermarket workers get AUD$780 per week. Don't forget these are before tax amounts. The Australian Government will take up to 20% of the above as tax. To rent a two bedroom apartment 3 km from Melbourne's CBD costs about AUD$500 per week. Food and clothes cost about double, plus, what they cost in the USA!
Apple Australia employees are getting ripped off. Inflation in Australia currently stands at 2.5% per annum. Low, sure, but if you are only getting a 2% pay rise per year this means the actual value of your pay is being devalued by .5% per year. Yes, you are earning yourself a yearly pay cut. Also, Sunday penalty rates which were +100% were cut to +50%. Apple Australia is not interested in 'unions', and thus they had nothing to do with new pay deal negotiations. This is a horrible deal.
If you didn't know this already, Apple, through using complex tax minimisation strategies which involved transferring profits to overseas entities, paid less than 1% tax on its Australian profits last financial year. Nothing really! Australia is Apple's second biggest market in the world, per capita, after the USA. 'Per Capita' being the operative term here.
Kudos to Apple for looking after its shareholders. Phenomenal profits are the name of the game. Cheating employees and governments is part of this game.
I am an Apple addict. However, like many in Australia nowadays I am becoming increasingly angry with dysfunctional government and greedy corporations.
In the scheme of things, Apple is an elitist company which caters to a rich elite. Yes, I consider myself part of this 'middle class' elite. In a worldwide context, few people can afford Apple products. However, in its blind quest for world domination, cutting wages and not paying taxes, Apple may be eroding the buying power of a majority of its customer base. Apple may need some lessons from Henry Ford.
I am considering boycotting Apple; or at least buying a lot less of its product. I believe if we are to become good 'world citizens' we need to buy products from 'ethical' companies. Corporations like Apple and Google are now blatantly unethical in their dealings. They have become modern day 'hydras' - unconscionable and unstoppable.
C'mon Tim Cook and Co. Do the Right Thing !!!
To put things into perspective: The minimum wage will become AUD$641.00 per week in 2015. Retail workers at Myer Department Stores are paid AUD$708 per week. Apple 'Geniuses' will now get AUD$750 per week. Coles Supermarket workers get AUD$780 per week. Don't forget these are before tax amounts. The Australian Government will take up to 20% of the above as tax. To rent a two bedroom apartment 3 km from Melbourne's CBD costs about AUD$500 per week. Food and clothes cost about double, plus, what they cost in the USA!
Apple Australia employees are getting ripped off. Inflation in Australia currently stands at 2.5% per annum. Low, sure, but if you are only getting a 2% pay rise per year this means the actual value of your pay is being devalued by .5% per year. Yes, you are earning yourself a yearly pay cut. Also, Sunday penalty rates which were +100% were cut to +50%. Apple Australia is not interested in 'unions', and thus they had nothing to do with new pay deal negotiations. This is a horrible deal.
If you didn't know this already, Apple, through using complex tax minimisation strategies which involved transferring profits to overseas entities, paid less than 1% tax on its Australian profits last financial year. Nothing really! Australia is Apple's second biggest market in the world, per capita, after the USA. 'Per Capita' being the operative term here.
Kudos to Apple for looking after its shareholders. Phenomenal profits are the name of the game. Cheating employees and governments is part of this game.
I am an Apple addict. However, like many in Australia nowadays I am becoming increasingly angry with dysfunctional government and greedy corporations.
In the scheme of things, Apple is an elitist company which caters to a rich elite. Yes, I consider myself part of this 'middle class' elite. In a worldwide context, few people can afford Apple products. However, in its blind quest for world domination, cutting wages and not paying taxes, Apple may be eroding the buying power of a majority of its customer base. Apple may need some lessons from Henry Ford.
I am considering boycotting Apple; or at least buying a lot less of its product. I believe if we are to become good 'world citizens' we need to buy products from 'ethical' companies. Corporations like Apple and Google are now blatantly unethical in their dealings. They have become modern day 'hydras' - unconscionable and unstoppable.
C'mon Tim Cook and Co. Do the Right Thing !!!