Apple Finalizes First Retail Union Contract With Maryland Store

[I7guy]

[…] it’s really caused healthcare prices to balloon to unacceptable levels, ridiculous compared to every other industrialized country, as well as several under-developed countries.

it started with the ACA, the fine piece of legislation that was.

 

[profcutter]

it started with the ACA, the fine piece of legislation that was.

It started when the US refused to do single payer healthcare like every other industrialized country. We paid to give France, Germany, and the UK single payer, but we ensured that US folks would be trapped in healthcare debt.

 

[gleepskip]

Sure, so they can be poor in a rural area.

They will be wealthier since the cost of living is lower.

 

[I7guy]

It started when the US refused to do single payer healthcare like every other industrialized country. We paid to give France, Germany, and the UK single payer, but we ensured that US folks would be trapped in healthcare debt.

Like I said. It started with the aca.

 

[profcutter]

Like I said. It started with the aca.

American presidents since Clinton promised socialized healthcare, long before the ACÁ.

 

[gleepskip]

American presidents since Clinton promised socialized healthcare, long before the ACÁ.

Politicians promising unrealistic and irrational ideas to get elected? Say it isn't so!

 

[maxoakland]

America used to be a manufacturing mecca, constant and often ridiculous wage increases caused companies to relocate these jobs to other countries where labor is cheaper. This will only fuel that fire.

Think this through:
Those jobs went to countries where people are paid pennies a day and treated almost like slaves. They often work in unsafe environments for over 12 hours a day and don't get to have personal lives

That's how bad wages and work life would have to be to have kept those jobs in America. Why would we do that?

The better alternative would be to mandate that companies couldn't outsource that way, but the government was all in on globalization. And it's turned out bad

But Apple benefits from that worker abuse to this day. It's why Americans need unions and why I support Apple's employees unionizing. If Apple could, they'd treat their American employees just as horribly as they treat the the Chinese people I can't technically call employees because Apple contracts Foxconn to do their dirty work

 

[I7guy]

Think this through:
Those jobs went to countries where people are paid pennies a day and treated almost like slaves.

Other than the above is hyperbole, yes overseas manufacturing became a thing due to US policies.

They often work in unsafe environments for over 12 hours a day and don't get to have personal lives

Yes and our (the US) backyard isn’t squeaky clean either. But the above is not the norm. Take something and make it a general case is disingenuous.

That's how bad wages and work life would have to be to have kept those jobs in America. Why would we do that?

Because the US govt made it difficult.

The better alternative would be to mandate that companies couldn't outsource that way, but the government was all in on globalization.

Yeah, they wanted manufacturing out of the country. Mandating against outsourcing would drive up the cost of everything and cause shortages. Those politicians wouldn’t last the half life of a blink of the eye.

And it's turned out bad

No it really didn’t.

But Apple benefits from that worker abuse to this day.

Citation for continuing and pervasive worker abuse needed here. Same as other companies who outsource manufacturing.

It's why Americans need unions

Tail wagging the dog logic here.

and why I support Apple's employees unionizing.

You’re within your rights here, I suppose.

If Apple could, they'd treat their American employees just as horribly as they treat the the Chinese people I can't technically call employees because Apple contracts Foxconn to do their dirty work

Again more hyperbole. Generalization born from some specific incident.

 

[wdfly]

Think this through:
Those jobs went to countries where people are paid pennies a day and treated almost like slaves. They often work in unsafe environments for over 12 hours a day and don't get to have personal lives

That's how bad wages and work life would have to be to have kept those jobs in America. Why would we do that?

The better alternative would be to mandate that companies couldn't outsource that way, but the government was all in on globalization. And it's turned out bad

But Apple benefits from that worker abuse to this day. It's why Americans need unions and why I support Apple's employees unionizing. If Apple could, they'd treat their American employees just as horribly as they treat the the Chinese people I can't technically call employees because Apple contracts Foxconn to do their dirty work

Americans need unions like we need cancer, the two achieve the same goal (when looking at modern unions). Unions originally formed to force safe working conditions, then OSHA was created to ensure this, now unions only drive up wages which causes companies to move those jobs to areas without unions. Now those union members have no jobs unless they find work elsewhere. It is really self-defeating in the long run to have unions, this case will be no different. Eventually Apple will have to lay off several of those workers or charge even more for their products to maintain the store's viability. IF the former happens, those laid off will suffer, if the latter, we all suffer, not seeing a bright side here.

 

[Jpoon]

Have any of you ever worked at an Apple Retail store? Just curious to see what the recent experience has been like in the past 5 years.