Apple Treats Employees to Performances of Cirque du Soleil's 'Totem'

[rkuntze]

I think this a scam

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


MacRumors has learned that Apple has bought out two performances of Cirque du Soleil's traveling show Totem, currently playing in San Jose, California. According to our source, Apple purchased the entire block of 2,500 tickets for each of two shows yesterday and today for employees and their guests, with Apple also picking up the tab for food and drink.

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Scanning Twitter and other social networks, we see that a number of people associated with Apple did mention being at Cirque du Soleil yesterday, supporting our source's claim of an Apple-sponsored event.

It is unclear what the reason for the event was, whether it was a simple perk offered to company employees or if there was a specific product milestone or other reason associated with the occasion.

Article Link: Apple Treats Employees to Performances of Cirque du Soleil's 'Totem'

The article says "entire block of 2,500 tickets for each of two shows yesterday" and that is not accurate. I do stand corrected that the earlier show was at 4PM not as I stated that I believe there was a 5PM show.

 

[iStig]

Meanwhile, Apple retail employees continue to be treated as...well...retail employees.

 

[BiteMyApple]

Meanwhile, Apple retail employees continue to be treated as...well...retail employees.

Shouldn't they be?

----------

I wonder if this false news has anything to do with AAPL losing 3% today.

 

[Renzatic]

LOL... could you make me one too? Make sure to change the date for tomorrow please.

If you get busted, you don't know me. Got it?

 

[wushuwannabe]

It's really not that big of a deal. I do this kind of stuff for my employees every so often, and the cost to the company is minimal. Corporate tickets to Totem cost $40-$100, and how much you want to bet Apple negotiated a low cost for all the tickets since they bought out the show? So when Apple employees average you $1000+ day in revenue, it's an easy perk to afford. I'm not saying it's not nice of them to do, but if you're not an Apple employee, just spend the $40 to buy a ticket and go watch the show yourself.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Meanwhile, Apple retail employees continue to be treated as...well...retail employees.

They're lucky they're treated as employees at all. I can't say much, but I can say: There are many people any rational person would assume are employees of Apple but they are not and are not allowed to say they are not employees of Apple (the public that sees them every day would assume that they are and have no reason to believe otherwise). And they get close to minimum wage, no benefits at all, and can be forced to work up to 12 hours a day and I've seen up to 10 days in a row, not even following Apple's supplier guidelines for international suppliers (because these people don't exactly work for suppliers, so they're not really covered by any policy). Apple does not even acknowledge these people as existing let alone offering benefits. And their employment (through an intermediary created specifically for the purpose of avoiding certain labor laws) requires them to not speak about their employment.

To the down voters:

I can only assume that you are anonymousy downvoting this post because it is made anonymously and vaguely.

I suppose my post wasn't worth mentioning because there is so little I can say. But maybe it helps to remind people that in general there are bad situations in the world where the people affected are the only ones who are not allowed to speak about those situations by fear of litigation and termination of employment.

 

[seek3r]

Nice to see companies doing stuff like this. I know mine (pharmaceutical$) never would.

Don't be so sure, you're just likely in the wrong branch of the company .

At Supercomputing a couple years ago in Austin the conference directly next to us (that convention center is truly massive) was a major Pharm conference. The corporate sponsored parties being thrown were pretty lavish according to some of the attendees I chatted with, more so than SC's from the sounds of it (which are usually pretty impressive themselves)

 

[iStig]

Shouldn't they be?

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I wonder if this false news has anything to do with AAPL losing 3% today.

Sure, Apple shouldn't treat their retail employees any better than any other retailer. Accordingly, Apple retail employees shouldn't treat their customers any better than any other retailer.

 

[rkahl]

So basically the executives get another field trip.

 

[SteveAbootman]

What is it with some of the responses in this thread...

Yes - the perk is only for those in Cupertino - But guess what -- companies are not obligated to provide them at all. The only thing they promise you is a paycheck and the agreed upon benefits package for as long as you're employed.

I'm sure there are Apple employees in other parts of the country/world who are a bit upset - but at the end of the day - they have a job. If they don't like it, no one is stopping them from leaving.

 

[Poncho]

do you think Philippe Starck got an invite?

 

[nylonsteel]

re original article

a perk is a perk - free food - very cool if they served good whiskey

 

[alms]

Not up to John Scully's Standard

In January of 1989 (or maybe it was 1988) Apple hired Cirque Du Soleil to stage a private performance for the companies Christmas party.

True, it was a little odd that the Christmas party didn't happen until January. Call it over budget and behind schedule.

My little company had just been bought by Apple and about five of us were flown out to Cupertino for orientation. The Christmas party was one night that week. First the show, then a Las Vegas night sort of thing downstairs. About 20 minutes or a half hour after the show a bunch of the performers showed up and joined the party, some of them wearing stilts.

That was early in the history of Cirque Du Soleil. They weren't a huge corporation yet, just one troupe, and it was a great show. Still the most memorable Christmas party I've ever been to.

 

[Stella]

Is it true that MSFT employees are well known to run out the door at 5pm sharp? That's what a friend of mine said. It's an 8-5 crowd, period.

I'm sure AAPL employees work hard past hours. Guess that's why they are rewarded so (that and they are happy working there)...

Or another view...
Maybe microsoft believe in a good work / family life balance environment...

 

[bommai]

My employer cancelled our Christmas party citing "current economic conditions". Then they posted record turn over, record profits, and record share dividends 3 months later. Needless to say, I am up-skilling myself so I can head on to greener pastures.

My employer canceled christmas party after 2001 recession and never brought it back! Take that. Add to that we get no overtime and had to work over 60 hours a week throughout last year!!

 

[swingerofbirch]

What is it with some of the responses in this thread...

Yes - the perk is only for those in Cupertino - But guess what -- companies are not obligated to provide them at all. The only thing they promise you is a paycheck and the agreed upon benefits package for as long as you're employed.

I'm sure there are Apple employees in other parts of the country/world who are a bit upset - but at the end of the day - they have a job. If they don't like it, no one is stopping them from leaving.

There are places in the world where Apple workers (not employees) have been stopped from leaving their jobs. Even Apple acknowledges this on apple.com/supplierresponsibility.

 

[idannymac]

It's really not that big of a deal. I do this kind of stuff for my employees every so often, and the cost to the company is minimal. Corporate tickets to Totem cost $40-$100, and how much you want to bet Apple negotiated a low cost for all the tickets since they bought out the show? So when Apple employees average you $1000+ day in revenue, it's an easy perk to afford. I'm not saying it's not nice of them to do, but if you're not an Apple employee, just spend the $40 to buy a ticket and go watch the show yourself.

Prices run from 65$ to 350$ depending on the seat

 

[SteveAbootman]

There are places in the world where Apple workers (not employees) have been stopped from leaving their jobs. Even Apple acknowledges this on apple.com/supplierresponsibility.

And your point is....?

My post explicitly said Apple Employees. The contracts that Apple signs with their suppliers do likely have provisions in them that require the supplier meet certain deliverables.

In order to meet them, the supplier would be smart to sign workers to contracts guaranteeing to meet a number of hours or stay working for a certain timeframe. And even then, you can void a contract but face whatever penalties are agreed to upon the signing of the contract.

Amazing how Apple offers a nice perk for some employees lucky enough to be available for the show, and people on here find some type of wild reason to chastise them.

 

[RinCa]

Prices run from 65$ to 350$ depending on the seat

What are you smoking? Tickets range from $67.50 to $248.50.



For those that think the ticket is a fake, the afternoon weekday shows were at 4pm. And that ticket was $89.50.

 

[Porco]

Maybe this was just a nice little reward/perk for staff. But hopefully one day all companies will realise that firing their employee's imaginations is much more beneficial to them than er... firing their employees.

Imagine if just one employee that goes to something like this sees something that in some way inspires the next great Apple product.

When you're a huge company like Apple, stuff like this essentially costs nothing when compared to the potential benefits that might come from it, even beyond the basic concept of keeping your employees happy.

Anyway, whatever Apple's motivation, pretty cool of them.

 

[CFreymarc]

It's tax season and Tim wants to save a few thousand. Ha!

This is something Steve Jobs would never do.

Steve did stuff like this all the time. And he would be on whomever leaked this. Apple has a long history of spiffs for employees like this. Some of the best in the past was renting out the entire Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk after the launch of the first Mac, several mid-day theater rentals a few day before the general release of a hot movie.

Steve wanted the whole company to see a private showing of Star Wars Ep. One at the Skywalker Ranch. George Lucas himself limited the attendance to two showings of a few hundred guests each since that is all the Ranch in-house theater could hold.

I'm really curious to see how the Apple Christmas party will be this year since this one is not planned by Steve. They have payed up to $50,000 in stage fees for bands playing along with meet and greets afterwards.

 

[idannymac]

What are you smoking? Tickets range from $67.50 to $248.50.



For those that think the ticket is a fake, the afternoon weekday shows were at 4pm. And that ticket was $89.50.

Tapis Rouge seats go up to 350$. Tapis Rouge is not always available such as with the screen capture you provided. I used to work for Cirque Du Soleil.

 

[wushuwannabe]

Prices run from 65$ to 350$ depending on the seat

For individuals that may be true. As the owner of my company, I can buy them at $40-$100 for my employees. And I'm a small business, so I'm just saying that I am positive that Apple got a great price on these tickets.

 

[Ciclismo]

My employer canceled christmas party after 2001 recession and never brought it back! Take that. Add to that we get no overtime and had to work over 60 hours a week throughout last year!!

This isn't a competition as to who has the crappier employer, because there will always be someone worse off than yourself if you bother to look.

 

[leon44]

He should've taken them to see LOVE, The Beatles one,
It's out of this world