Apple store workers want shoppers to start tipping them

You might be used to tipping restaurant staff, but how about the person who helps you figure out Siri?

Customers don't typically tip at retail stores, but staff at an Apple shop in Maryland are hoping to change that as part of a series of demands made after they unionized.

The store in Towson became Apple's first unionized location after employees came together as the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (CORE) and voted to be represented by The International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers.

Pixabay

This week, the CORE Twitter account announced some 'economic proposals' for a new contract which included more paid days off for national holidays, increased vacation days, first aid training and double pay for overtime hours.

Among the proposals was one CORE admitted outright would be 'a little controversial' - the tipping system.

The group has proposed bringing in an option for customers to tip at the end of every credit card transaction, offering them the chance to tip three percent, five percent or a custom amount, or opt out of tipping altogether.

"All monies collected through this manner would be dispersed to members of the bargaining unit bi-weekly based on any hours worked," CORE explains.

The proposal has received mixed responses online, with one Twitter user describing the notion as 'game changing' while another slammed it as a 'horrible idea'.

Twitter/@acoreunion

"First of all, it would benefit sales specialists much more than the technicians who, quite frankly, work a LOT harder," the critic added. "Secondly, it places the burden of fair pay on the customer instead of the employer."

Following its initial thread of proposals, CORE released some more context around the tip suggestion as it claimed that 'Apple employees everywhere can tell you that they are already being offered tips by customers regularly'.

CORE argued that customers 'want to thank' staff, but claimed that if an employee accepted a tip as small as $1 it would be 'grounds for immediate termination'.

"If a customer insists on leaving you money, as they often do, the money is required to be placed in the safe and goes to the company, not the employees," CORE said.

Twitter/@acoreunion

The group claimed tripping is the only mechanism that would allow customers to directly thank staff, and proposed splitting the tips to ensure there were no conflicts of interests or bribery.

"We think that this system helps resolve these concerns while also removing the frequent and uncomfortable experience of explaining that their generous offer could lose us our jobs," CORE said.

Representatives for the group told Bloomberg that these were 'initial proposals' and that they understand the matter would be a 'negotiation'.

"Our goal is and always has been to bring back an acceptable contract for the membership to ratify," they added.

UNILAD has contacted The International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers and Apple for comment.