Around 100 protesters organized by the United Service Workers West union and the Rev. Jesse Jackson yesterday staged a “brief but lively” demonstration at the Apple Campus, calling on the company to create better pay and conditions for low-paid contract workers.
Jesse Jackson last month wrote to Tim Cook urging the company to create “world-class working conditions” for contractors like security guards, who are not entitled to the same job security and perks as direct employees. He requested a meeting with Cook, which took place a few days ago …
Mercury News reported that the demonstration which took place in the rain outside the building moved into the lobby “for a few minutes.”
The protesters marched into an Apple building to deliver a petition, signed by 20,000 people […] Emboldened, the protesters crowded the lobby chanting “Sí se puede” (“Yes, we can”) and waved a sign reading “Apple dodges taxes, we pay the price.”
It’s unclear what specific demands were made in the petition, but Jackson had earlier said that he was “impressed” by his conversation with Cook.
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I love how we treat success in this country these days. Every cause “attacks” you because of your success, and regardless of your “guilt”, “ethics”, “law breaking” or “wrong doing” the masses see you as being wrong because “you can afford it. Pay your fair share”
I would/could go on about “fair share” but it’s Friday.
“These days” lol. What are you, 12? Protesting poor working conditions is nothing new; in fact, it was one of the benchmarks of the industrial age in this country.
Clearly didn’t understand my comment. My point wasn’t that it is wrong to protest poor working conditions. In fact, no where in the article is it stated that the working conditions are poor, just not “world class”
My point was that Apple is now the target for everything that ails society. Every cause chooses Apple Because they know it will bring attention. It doesn’t matter if Apple is the best in a category, is even really doing anything wrong, just whenever they want to get noted notice for, they go after Apple. It’s got to get frustrating at times.
ISRS: Your wrong. Society protests against many different companies regarding working conditions. You only THINK it is Apple being singled out because your reading about it on this website, which supplies Apple based news.
Poor working conditions at the Apple Campus in Cupertino? You have got to be kidding me. That place is like a resort without a golf course. About the only thing a security office could complain about is that it’s boring because nothing happens there. If you look at the industry average for a security officer in Cupertino, they get paid a lot less than $19.77 an hour and who’s their employer? A Security Company, Apple’s just contracts out to whatever Security company that can meet the needs.
http://www.indeed.com/salary/q-Security-Officer-l-Cupertino,-CA.html
IF they want to protest, they should be talking to their employer, the Security Company. No where does anyone describe these so-called “horrific” working conditions.
They need to complain against their employer. All Apple is doing is hiring a Security Company. It’s the Security Company that needs to charge more for their services so they can pay a higher wage.
Are people that gullible that they need to blame Apple? It’s almost like they think they need to be paid as much as a s/w, h/w engineer. What’s their problem? A Private Security Officer’s job is to observe and report. They aren’t full fledged Police Officers with guns and handcuffs and a REAL badge. The types of people that do this are either ex-Law Enforcement, ex-Military, or a young person that either can’t get hired as Law Enforcement or is in the process of pursuing a career as a Police Officer. What does a first year Police Officer get paid? In SF, they get paid $80K+ a year. Which is a decent living. agree that $19.77 isn’t a lot of money for someone, but these people aren’t Police Officers, they don’t have anywhere near the same level of responsibility. All these guys do is make sure people aren’t illegally on the property, and they observe and report any weird activity. Apple Campuses probably don’t get much in the way of problems when compared to a large shopping mall or some business that attracts a lot of people in the ghetto and other crime ridden neighborhoods.
The crime rate in Cupertino is practically nill, nothing happens there except traffic tickets.
Yeah, I know it’s tough living off of less than $40K a year is tough, but that’s the gig. It’s called, go to college and get a real degree and THEN you can seek the better paying jobs. But these Security Jobs simply don’t require a 4 year college degree and they are getting paid about the same as a administrative assistant in the high tech community.
If they want more money, then maybe they should become a UPS diver and after about 3 years, they might make $70K a year, but these Security Jobs are about the most boring job in the world if they work at Apple. Nothing goes on there.
Yeah, I think they should maybe get $50K a year, but they need to discuss this with the Security company, not Apple.
They should be protesting the contractors who provide the employees, but of course there’s no publicity in that.
Why do modern middle class workers get the urge to slap their complaints on a sign and act like children? At nearly every job I’ve worked, there’s been someone who complains about their boss. Why? Because the boss is doing his/her job. It’s exasperating. If you don’t like the job, find another one.
Be thankful that you live in a country that gives you the freedom to choose your occupation. There are some countries that don’t allow that right.
These Security Officers don’t work for Apple directly, they work for a Security Company that contracts out the work to them. If they don’t like their wages, they need to protest against the Security company. $19.77 an hour for someone that doesn’t require a 4 Year College Education is probably the industry average. I know people that are private security people that work for Shopping Malls and this is about what they get paid. If they are wearing a gun, because they have the experience and the job warrants it, they might get a little more than that, but that’s about the going rate.
Security Officers for private security companies are generally those that are retired Police Officers, ex-military, or young kids that can’t get a job with Law Enforcement, so they get a Security Office Job instead. These people are not Police Officers, they don’t arrest people, they simply watch and observe and they call the Police if something gets out of hand, but they aren’t full fledged Police Officers.
What do people expect? That they get paid the same amount of money as a s/w programmer, h/w engineer, that typically has at least a 4 year engineering degree and years of experience?
Security Officers simply have a very easy job. They aren’t in a high crime rate area, they are in a very cushy environment compared to Security Officers that work in the lower income ghettos.
If they should get more money because the high cost of living, I can understand that, but they need to complain to their employer, not Apple. Apple contracts out the work to a Security Company for which they turn around and pay less to hire these security officers for a profit.
Oh well.
In what country are you not allowed to pick your occupation?
I’m guessing North Korea would be one.
Maybe, though there isn’t much real prof on that (I’m sure some are forced into an area there). China doesn’t even work that way anymore. I think you would be hard pressed to find a country that forces you into an occupation any longer.
Now opportunities to work in an occupation is a different story, but you are mostly talking middle east/north Africa and smaller pacific rim countries. The rest of the world is pretty open in that regard.
Apple contracts with a security company for security officers at the going rate, and people are getting upset with Apple? They should be getting upset with the Security company, not Apple.
Better conditions? it’s like a freakin resort over there. They have excellent conditions. What is Jackson smoking? Treatment of low paid contractors? What are they doing whipping them and beating them? No. They actually don’t really do anything. A garbage man does more than they do. Apple dodges taxes? What? Because they keep the profits they earn in other countries in Ireland that this gives them just cause to protest for higher wages because their employer (Security Company) doesn’t want to pay more than $20 an hour?
They should be protesting the contractor, not Apple. Idiots.
Message to Jesse Jackson, you are a shyster lawyer trying to act like some Priest.
Here’s a little background according to Wikipedia on Mr. Jackson.
“In 2001, it was revealed Jackson had had an affair with a staffer, Karin Stanford, that resulted in the birth of a daughter, Ashley, in May 1999. According to CNN, in August 1999 The Rainbow Push Coalition had paid Stanford $15,000 in moving expenses and $21,000 in payment for contracting work. A promised advance of an additional $40,000 against future contracting work was rescinded once the affair became public.[79] This incident prompted Jackson to withdraw from activism for a short time.[80] Jackson was paying $4,000 a month in child support as of 2001.[81]”
Might as well just put this out there.
Horrible working conditions at Apple’s Campus? About the most horrific thing that happens at an Apple Campus is they are bored because nothing weird happens. I can hear the stories now.
Yeah, imagine this case going to trial. Here’s what just about every security officer would answer these questions.
Attorney: So, tell the court what they typical working conditions are at Apple.
Security Officer: Horrific working conditions.
Attorney: Are they beating you?
Security Officer: No.
Attorney: Are they forcing you to work in a hostile environment?
Security Officer: No.
Attorney: So describe a typical workday and explain these “hostile” and “horrific” working conditions.
Security Officer: Nothing goes on, nobody pulls out guns or knives, nobody steals anything, no bomb threats. It’s boring and in order to keep awake, I have to read a book.
More…
Attorney…. Can u tell u what condition is so bad ther
Security officer: every day I have to be around people make over 100k a year. Make me feel so worthless with my choice.
Here’s a website you need to look at. If these guys are getting paid $19.77/hour that’s $39,540 a year based on a 40 hour work week, 50 weeks a year. Here’s what the average is for a similar job in Cupertino.
http://www.indeed.com/salary/q-Security-Officer-l-Cupertino,-CA.html
These guys are getting paid a little higher than the average for Cupertino for a similar job.
So, what’s the problem?
“So, what’s the problem?”
You. You and your terrible attitude are the problem.
Contractors are never treated like direct employees at any company, but knowing a few people how have done contractor work for Apple as software devs it does sound like Apple treats their contractors like ****. It’s hear say but this makes me think maybe what they say is true.
At $20/hour, these aren’t your typical mall security guards. I imagine security at Apple is quite tight and these guards are probably well trained. I know other security guards making this rate at other companies and they have quite a bit of training. l still consider the job easy by my standards. But it’s still lots of training, responsibility and customer service. I would consider a security job at Apple not to be taken lightly despite the EL qualifications. Do I consider $20/hour a good rate for this position in California at the one of the richest companies in the world? No, I don’t.
People are focusing on the security guards that work at Apple. There are many more contractors doing lower-level jobs at Apple and other HT companies for even less money. I know contractors at these HT companies that are making $12/hr. There are some contracting companies that are now starting EL technical contractors at $20/hr at HT companies. This may be a great rate if you live in the Midwest or South. But this is California folks. Try finding an apartment for less than $2,000/month these days within commute distance of your job at a HT business.. A studio no less. Lets also not forget that most of these jobs don’t offer health insurance. If they do, it’s some crazy rate. You think that’s a crazy rate for insurance? I know of an executive in a government organization who has to take a second job to pay for his family’s health care. He pays $2,000/month extra JUST FOR HEALTH CARE for his family. Wife and two kids. So these security guards are making about $30,000/yr. $24,000/yr goes to rent, $5,000/yr goes to health insurance. So how about food? Commute costs? Clothes? Okay, he gets a roommate and splits cost, eats ramen and PB & J, takes the bus, buys $12/shirts and pants… So, we’re now looking like a 3rd-world country now?
I agree that contractors should be boycotting their own contracting employers. But frankly, most of these people are struggling just to have a job. Why would they take action to organize their colleagues for better conditions and get blacklisted, harassed by their employer and face homelessness? If Apple can work with Foxconn to better conditions for workers in China, how can they not do the same for their contractors here at home? Because it’s bad PR for Apple to be paying a company where working conditions are so bad that people are committing suicide. HT companies love to boast how well they treat their own employees with great pay, private bus service, gym memberships and oodles of other benefits. But they still pay rock-bottom rates for their low-end contractors much of the time and little if any of their perks to contractors. Even if it costs them nothing. They won’t help a contractor with commute costs by allowing them on their private bus?
And yes, many of these contractors get treated like dirt by employees. I see it and have heard it from many. I wonder how many employees know the names of the janitors who clean up after them? Security? Assembly workers? I frequent a cafe where both HT employees and low-wage workers frequent. I once saw a HT person give attitude to a LW worker and thank goodness the LW didn’t back down and take it! He confronted the HT worker and yes, great bodily harm could’ve happened. Yes, the HT employee apologized quickly. While I don’t believe in violence, I don’t think I would’ve immediately jumped in there to stop the pounding. Yes, I’m capable to stop it. But really, an example needs to be made. During the first dot-com boom in the San Francisco Bay Area, HT employees were invading San Francisco neighborhoods dominated by LW residents. People were getting kicked out of their homes by greedy landlords. HT workers didn’t make any friends by confronting LW workers by holding signs like “We own it, deal with it!”. Really? It’s still this bad over 10 years later. It’s a bit more subtle now.
I applaud Jesse Jackson for bringing more attention to the problem. But at the end of the day, what has he done? What is Jackson and Cook going to do in the long-term? All this “giving back to the community” that many big companies flaunt about: pennies. The enforcement of worker rights have no teeth. Speak up as an employee or contractor and you will get black-listed. Your career will be put into the dumps.
From some reports, the top 10% of this country owns 75% of the wealth. Judging by the number of Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis I see regularly in the Bay Area, I wouldn’t be surprised. Folks, this is simply un-acceptable. Anyone who says that this is okay is part of this system or simply hasn’t lived a LW lifestyle for any extended period of time. I would love to have another nationwide day-strike by immigrants like we had back in May of 2006. But would also include contract work both high and low. Most people don’t remember, but work came to a grinding halt. Let’ do that for a week. You know how bad a lack of maintenance gets in a week? No assembly workers for a week?
Contract work is important and should be treated with the utmost of respect. Something needs to be done in this country in a big and sweeping way.
Apple is the right target because it writes the checks.
Call police, issues arrests, find a new contracting firm. Problem solved.
Apple is not responsible for the terms of employment set forth in a company they don’t own. Simple as that.