Apple Sued For Turning Workers Into Slaves..

[solitaire]

A LAWSUIT filed Monday in California seeks class action status alleging that Apple denied technical staffers required overtime pay and meal compensation in violation of state law.

Filed in the US District Court for Southern California, the complaint claims that many Apple employees are routinely subjected to working conditions resembling indentured servitude.

Lead plaintiff David Walsh was employed by Apple as a network engineer from 1995 until 2007. His complaint says he was often required to work more than 40 hours per week, miss meals, and spend his evenings and even entire weekends on call without any overtime pay or meal compensation. He fielded technical support calls that often came after 11 pm.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple intentionally misclassified Walsh and many other workers as management employees in order to avoid having to pay them overtime as required under California law for hourly workers. It seeks to include Apple retail stores' staff as plaintiffs.

If the plaintiffs win this lawsuit, a judge or a jury could require Apple to substantially revise its compensation practices and also pay retroactive compensation to many of its present and former technical and retail store employees, which could run into millions of dollars.

Apple has not yet responded to the complaint.

http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/118946,apple-sued-for-indentured-servitude.aspx


As one comment on slashdot said:
I never knew cultist's got paid..:lolflag::lolflag:

[Rocket2DMn]

Moved to the Community Cafe since this is not forum Game.

[L815]

I read the article earlier today on slashdot before class. I read through the comments as well and agree with majority of them.

While it is wrong that Apple didn't pay for overtime, in now way does it make them slaves. They could have easily just said "I'm out!" instead of staying the extra hours.

It's fine they are suing, but please don't compare it to slavery ...

[K.Mandla]

I never knew cultist's got paid.
Heh, the joy of working with Apple replaces the need for payment ... ?

[psychokittiez]

Well that's nice. xP

[zmjjmz]

Reason #308450953 to work for Google: Apple sucks.h

[grossaffe]

good luck with that. My dad experienced similar issues (not to the same extent) while working for the government. Of course the courts shot down all of their lawsuits demanding compensation.

[Dremora]

They could have easily just said "I'm out!"

So could their boss.

Never underestimate the burning need to continue eating and having a home to go home to. :P

It's how capitalism works, they want you to depend on them 100% and they want to depend on you 0%, AKA be able to replace you tomorrow with minimal interruption.

[Dremora]

good luck with that. My dad experienced similar issues (not to the same extent) while working for the government. Of course the courts shot down all of their lawsuits demanding compensation.

Thats probably cause he was suing the government in a court ran by the government.

Go ahead and sue me, and I'll be the judge deciding who wins....oh of course I'll be fair... ;) :lolflag:

[billgoldberg]

Turning them into slaves is a bit harsh.

A lot of companies don't pay overtime.

This only works with the spineless employees though.

I'm willing to do overtime on my job, if I get paid.

If not, well then they are out of luck, because I'm gone in a matter of seconds.

--

They can't fire you if you did nothing wrong according to the contract you made.

I always read the contracts I sign.

If they fire you and you did nothing wrong according to the contract, they will have to pay a lot of money (a few months worth of salary). This gives you enough time to find a new job.

Atleast, that's how it works here.

[Erunno]

A lawsuit is in no way an admission of guilt. Innocent until proven also applies for companies you don't like. A lawsuit is first and foremost a review if law has been broken.

[Dremora]

They can't fire you if you did nothing wrong according to the contract you made.

Most companies fire you now and then figure out how to make it legal later.

I had a former employer try to change the reason they fired me to try and get out of paying my unemployment compensation.

When people take a job, they expect to be paid according to the terms they agreed to, it sounds like Apple is abusing their employees to try and cheap out on payroll so the managers can get bonuses and Steve Jobs can get a bigger salary.

[bp1509]

d

[bp1509]

d

[LinuxGuy1234]

I'm thinking about Digging this... nope.

The capitalism system is failing now...

[-grubby]

I'm thinking about Digging this... nope.

The capitalism system is failing now...

And the reason for this bump was?

[solitaire]

And the reason for this bump was?


He was probably drinking the Christmas spirits ;)

[quinnten83]

Here is not there though. Workers in Europe tend to get more protection of the law, than in the states. I'm willing to bet that the employees in Europe don't get the same treatment, because the law is on their sid an these things are better regulated.



Turning them into slaves is a bit harsh.

A lot of companies don't pay overtime.

This only works with the spineless employees though.

I'm willing to do overtime on my job, if I get paid.

If not, well then they are out of luck, because I'm gone in a matter of seconds.

--

They can't fire you if you did nothing wrong according to the contract you made.

I always read the contracts I sign.

If they fire you and you did nothing wrong according to the contract, they will have to pay a lot of money (a few months worth of salary). This gives you enough time to find a new job.

Atleast, that's how it works here.

[Maxxtsch]

Reason #308450953 to work for Google: Apple sucks.h

xD haha