Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

engadget.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 178 posts

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#81

Post by rqtwteye »

treeman79 wrote: post #35
93po wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Does anyone really think corporate anti-union talking points are in their workers' best interest? Yes, usually at least half the workforce. But but but the monthly dues!!!

[flagged]

Gotta love how people blame lack of a company's success on those bad workers. How about actually doing the unimaginable and build decent cars? Almost every time I get a rental from a US car company I am reminded that they don't seem to care about building good cars. They just throw a bunch of options together and make the car bigger. Nobody seems to actually try the car and see if it drives well.

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#82

Post by willcipriano »

birdyrooster wrote: post #62
treeman79 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

This completely ignores globalization and the fact it was geopolitics that took the jobs away.

The unions were instrumental in getting the people pushing globalism elected.

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#83

Post by lapcat »

lokar wrote: post #30
Eumenes wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are effective indeed, esp. as political donations go - who would've thought the carpenters union donates more to political initiatives than Oracle? https://www.opensecrets.org/elections-overview/top-organizat...

That ignores individual donors. I assure you that execs and investors in oracle make up the difference.

Specifically Larry Ellison, who is a massive donor to right-wing political groups (and now part-owner of Twitter).

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#84

Post by EA-3167 »

ceejayoz wrote: post #47
Kiro wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're talking about Apple Stores, not Apple in general. I'm sure Apple would be fine if they closed all stores.

The stores are a pretty critical component in their sales, marketing, and support cycles, and generally considered a big part of their current success.

The stores sure, but the individual retail workers definitely aren't, and are probably fairly replaceable.

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#85

Post by smoldesu »

sidewndr46 wrote: post #67
beepbooptheory wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While it does say the certain stores, like St. Louis, have given up due to Apple's antagonism, it also says: "Union efforts are slowly gaining ground at Apple stores across the country." Precedent like this can help future efforts in other places, at the very least. And in general, little back and forth events like this is maybe the best we can hope for in this world where actual worker leadership/autonomism is farth…

But wouldn't the precedent be "Apple won, unions lost"? No one would look at this and go "damn the union really handed Apple a can of whoop ass!"

The precedent is that the NLRB has issued a warning past this point. Apple can respond however they want, but this is their shot across the bow.

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#86

Post by xhkkffbf »

ethbr0 wrote: post #17
lscdlscd wrote: post #2

Just goes to show how effective unionizing is. Power to those workers! They're a key part in making Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world. They deserve a fair share.

Indeed. Companies hate unions because they increase labor costs and benefits. Does anyone really think corporate anti-union talking points are in their workers' best interest? Unions have their faults (e.g. bureaucracy), but corporations aren't fighting them for their employees' benefit.

> corporations aren't fighting them for their employees' benefit.

But they are. The long-term profitability of the company is essential for ensuring the jobs of everyone. History is filled with the bankruptcies of unionized companies where the workers asked for more than what the market would support.

I hate to rain on your parade, but in my experience the union leadership were much more like a parallel track of management. They definitely played favorites and took sides in political battles to protect some people and hurt others. Everyone dreams that the unions will be neutral protectors of the workers. That wasn't what I saw.

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#87

Post by antiutopian »

Once you start following/helping/participating in the labor movement it becomes clear that virtually every company will go to great lengths to stop a union from being formed and winning a contract, they will even break the law. The question for organizers is not "will this company do it?" but "what do we do about it when they do?"

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#88

Post by wahnfrieden »

treeman79 wrote: post #35
93po wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Does anyone really think corporate anti-union talking points are in their workers' best interest? Yes, usually at least half the workforce. But but but the monthly dues!!!

[flagged]

[flagged]

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#89

Post by pixl97 »

xhkkffbf wrote: post #86
ethbr0 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. Companies hate unions because they increase labor costs and benefits. Does anyone really think corporate anti-union talking points are in their workers' best interest? Unions have their faults (e.g. bureaucracy), but corporations aren't fighting them for their employees' benefit.

> corporations aren't fighting them for their employees' benefit. But they are. The long-term profitability of the company is essential for ensuring the jobs of everyone. History is filled with the bankruptcies of unionized companies where the workers asked for more than what the market would support. I hate to rain on your parade, but in my experience the union leadership were much more like a parallel track of mana…

History is filled with non unionized companies going bankrupt too, seems like an issue that affects both.

Corporations are Moloch. They do not have human interests in mine. They are setup to grow and spread like cancer. Unions at least give some grounding back to human needs rather than the never ending pursuit of profit.

Re: Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store

#90

Post by randomdata »

notwhereyouare wrote: post #24
0x5345414e wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I’m not sure I agree with that statement either…

let go all of the employees that work for apple an see how long they are still in business. Don't think the CEO is making their iphones on the line

> Don't think the CEO is making their iphones on the line

I didn't realize that anyone at Apple was making iPhones on the line. Last I heard it was primarily Foxconn, along with a few other companies. When did Apple get involved in the manufacture of them?

Post reply on HN