David Emery on What Apple’s VP of People is telling her people about unions (audio) - 'I see your arguments as mostly ad-hominem, a “threat to profits” as the only motivation. It’s clear that unionization brings an adversarial relationship to employee relations, and substantially hinders the company’s freedom in establishing working conditions. Now unions argue “that’s a good thing” and I understand the validity of that argument. But as I read once, “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.” Unionization may well produce benefits for the union workers above what the company offers, but that has to be balanced against what the company might offer in the absence of adversarial negotiations. Personally, as I’ve said before, I’m not happy with the current Apple Store experience. And as a customer, I’m not convinced that unionization will change that for the better (and might make it worse.) Now that’s not the direct purpose of an employee union, but it is a concern for the company and -should be- a concern for employees.'
on Here’s why Apple turned red Thursday - 'Is it my aging eyes PED, or is that picture above “blurry?” 🙂'
on Premarket: Apple is red - '$144. Another Sucker Rally (refraining from references to levitating dead felines) or not? We made it beyond $149 last Tuesday only to watch it slide to mid 130s, again. $143 on Monday looked like the start of positive movement. In March the share price surged $25 in 2 weeks. There must be a $ trillion sitting on the sidelines or hunkered down in dividend stocks like the Ma Bells, and some utilities. 5% is no match for the 8.5 increase in the CPI as of March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For some reason I cannot stomach going long in OXY, XOM or other dirty shares despite them being up 50 to 120% YTD by stealing the contents of everyone’s wallets and sending 1/2 the proceeds to evil dominions.'
on What Apple’s VP of People is telling her people about unions (audio) - 'This is as it should be. And IF there are more than normal benefits there should be higher expectations of quality in the work force. This is where unions often get it wrong. A Formula 1 team wouldn’t just hire union mechanics.'
on Here’s why Apple turned red Thursday - 'This morning, AAPL opened at 137.12, way down. But it’s the tiny premarket tail once again attempting to wag the AAPL dog. Did the shorties get word of this “story” and do their damndest to sink the stock, hoping to stampede the AAPL market? If so, I hope they lose their short little shirts.'
on What Apple’s VP of People is telling her people about unions (audio) - 'On Glassdoor, employees give Apple an overall approval of 4.2 out of 5. For investors, the impact will be minimal to zero. Statistics, random distribution, says there may (or may not) be a few pockets, a few locations, where there’s enough votes for the union. Deirdre’s point holds. In Apple’s case, unions are not likely to make things better for employees. With other employers, unions may be the best option for employees.'
on Here’s why Apple turned red Thursday - 'Another unverifiable rumor. Apple doesn’t release IPhone unit numbers. Whose Market forecast is 240 million. An average of guesses? By the way what is the mix of types of phones. If other rumors about Apple SE demand are true then Apple could be building more profitable units. Revenue is the only real measurement and units doesn’t tell us that without the sale price.'
on Here’s why Apple turned red Thursday - 'Even if true (which I also take salty), Apple should easily support at these stock prices. And its all temporary, not Apple made but macroeconomics.'
on What Apple’s VP of People is telling her people about unions (audio) - 'Why not take a scientific view? There are 272 Apple stores in the US. (As someone who lives in rural Maine, I wish there were more!) If a union would be as problematic for employees as O’Brien predicts, that should become clear to employees once one is established in one store, or a handful of them. Then workers can stop spreading unionization once it becomes the bad choice based on employee experience. O’Brien’s view is suspect as it echoes the standard reaction companies have to unions: suggesting the company fears for the welfare of employees while masking a very real fear for profits–worry that working people might gain new say over their work lives in ways that will impinge on those margins. If O’Brien’s concern is genuinely for those working in the stores, why not show she is right by taking a more wait-and-see attitude rather than proffering the traditional arguments of so many companies? Unionization might have an upside: employee retention. If the tight labor market is permanent, that could be good for Apple–and its investors.'
on Here’s why Apple turned red Thursday - 'I don’t believe the reports…and even if true, I do not see peole cutting back on services….the installed base is getting ‘too big to fail’.'
on Apple raises starting pay to $22 an hour - 'But according to the unidentified anonymous “Union” organizers, Apple’s still $8.00 short. Time for Mark Gurman to step up with a human interest story from Jimmy Hoffa’s grandchildren on how disappointed they are in Apple’s paltry employees’ raise.'
on Barron’s: Why Apple is making investors skittish - '“Eric’s (desire for clicks) piece was overtaken by events.” Or how about, “…overtaken by the savvy investor’s realization of ongoing base fundamentals? Click THAT.'
on Premarket: Apple is red - '@Joseph Ford and GM have CDP ratings of A while Apple has an A-. That sounds strange to me, but hey, if investing in Ford and GM is better for the environment than investing in Apple who am I to argue with these “objective” measures.'
on Premarket: Apple is red - 'Actually, the cost to the economy of climate change is much less than the current cost of mitigation per the last IPCC report. It also appears that we are less than a decade away from having the battery storage technology needed to move to renewable energy for electricity. We already have the technology now for long distance trucking to be net negative carbon (per California’s calculation for bioCNG). Punishing the world with high oil prices as a matter of policy is a really bad idea pre and post Putin invasion.'
