Home » US Employment News » Apple staff launch fight against return to office plan

Apple staff launch fight against return to office plan

By Nithya Bose in US Employment News, posted August 23, 2022

Apple employees have launched a petition against the company over its plans to make staff return to the office.

The group argues that the three days of work in the office could have a negative impact on their well-being.

Apple Together, which identifies itself as a global solidarity union of workers across the firm, shared the petition online.

The workers claim during the last two years, the company's traditionally office-based employees have done "exceptional work, flexibly, both outside and inside traditional office environments."

They noted a "uniform mandate from senior leadership does not consider the unique demands of each job role nor the diversity of individuals."

The petition states: "We believe that Apple should encourage, not prohibit, flexible work to build a more diverse and successful company where we can feel comfortable to ‘think different’ together."

Apple reportedly notified corporate employees last week that they will be obliged to come to the office three times a week from September 5.

Employees will be required to work offline on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and a third day that will differ depending on the team.

Previously, Apple Together stated that the return to office policy would make Apple's staff "younger, whiter, [and] more male-dominated."

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It is now pushing the company's leadership to let each employee work directly with their manager to determine the greatest flexible work arrangement feasible.

The workers said: "These work arrangements should not require higher level approvals, complex procedures, or providing private information."

Apple Together estimates that the firm employs more than 100,000 direct workers in the US, including those in retail.

Apple's announcement of its return to the office followed a series of delays caused by the outbreak of new COVID-19 variants, each of which triggered a surge in cases.

It also follows a decision in June by a group of Apple retail workers in Maryland to become the company's first unionized store.

An Apple spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the petition.

Source: Yahoo! Finance

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