---
title: Why Apple store workers are unionizing
description: Employees want higher wages, more co-workers and less sales pressure.
---

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# [Why Apple store workers are unionizing](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/11162022-apple-store-unions)

 Written by [Rob Litterst](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/author/rob-litterst) | Nov 16, 2022 9:23:19 AM

The Genius Bar just ain’t what it used to be.

Employees [claim](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-11-14/apple-appl-stores-join-us-retail-union-fight?srnd=premium&sref=3Ac2yX40) a cultural shift under Tim Cook has Apple store jobs losing their luster, driving some to consider unionization, per *Bloomberg*.

#### **In the Steve Jobs era…**

… store employees were encouraged to engage with customers until their problem was resolved, sometimes resulting in hourslong discussions.

This focus on customer satisfaction made working at the Genius Bar a source of pride, and gave Apple a reputation as one of the best jobs in retail. But associates claim the Tim Cook era has introduced some unwelcome changes, including:

- New quotas that grade employees on how many customers they handle per hour
- A broader shift in priorities from fixing devices to upselling customers on new products

Making matters worse, customers aren’t  always keen on being sold to when they’re stressed about a broken device.

#### **Now employees are turning to unionization**

While only two stores have formally unionized, employees at dozens of the company’s 272 US locations are reportedly discussing the option, with three main requests:

- Higher hourly rates, more co-workers, and less sales pressure.

Ironically, one employee says unionization does what she was taught at Apple: “To push the status quo, to not expect just the bare minimum.”

**Notably, **investors don’t seem to mind — last month Apple reported a record $90B in Q4 revenue.

[View full post](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/11162022-apple-store-unions)

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