Pay row staff ready to be sacked
Defiant Apple Shop employees refusing to agree to pay cuts said yesterday they were prepared to be sacked in their fight for fair treatment.
About 60 young employees of the fashion chain are holding out against cuts of more than 20 per cent. Workers said yesterday they expected to be sacked, but had learned a valuable lesson.
'It's taught me to be smarter,' one 22-year-old saleswoman said. 'I'll be more careful when I look for my next job to see if the bosses are really concerned for the workers.
'Society has to be fair. Everyone is an employee and we must protect our rights.' The company last week asked 200 employees at its 40 shops to sign letters agreeing to salary cuts that would reduce the average worker's monthly earnings from $9,000 to $7,000.
A group of employees visited the Neighbourhood and Workers' Service Centre to seek advice. The group has since tried in vain to meet the company to discuss the cuts.
The company gave workers until Wednesday to return the letters. It then said workers who rejected the cost-cutting plan would be compensated with severance pay, staff said.
It is unclear when the staff will be laid off. Employers cannot lawfully threaten to lay off workers who do not accept changes to terms of employment, such as wage cuts.
The Labour Department declined to comment. The company, owned by Texwood, did not respond to repeated telephone calls.
