Apple, Other Tech Companies Give $2 Million Each to Cover Taxpayer Costs of Super Bowl 50 [Mac Blog]

Apple, along with fellow tech companies Intel, Yahoo, and Google, has given $2 million in cash and other services to offset taxpayer costs of hosting Super Bowl 50 in the Bay Area, reports the San Jose Mercury News (via AppleInsider). In exchange for their donations, each company will receive their own private Super Bowl suite and publicity around the time of the game in 2016.

In total, the Bay Area Super Bowl Host Committee announced that it had raised $40 million for Super Bowl 50. The game will be held in the newly constructed Levi’s Stadium, which be the home of the San Francisco 49ers this year after taking two years and $1.3 billion to build. The stadium is also just 13 miles away from Apple’s headquarters at 1 Infinite Loop in Cupertino, California.

It is unknown exactly how Apple will plan to use its Super Bowl publicity, but the company has had quite the history running Super Bowl advertisements in the past and could choose to run one in 2016. Apple’s “1984″ television ad for the Macintosh was among the most iconic in TV advertising history, as the company ran its last dedicated Super Bowl commercial in 1999.

Since then, a number of rumors throughout the years have pointed to Apple running more commercials alongside the Super Bowl, although the company has not done so. Apple was rumored to be working on a commercial for this past year’s Super Bowl, but instead chose to partner with U2 and Bank of America for a Product (RED) promotion.

Apple Australia Reaches New Four Year Contract with Retail Employees [Mac Blog]

Apple Retail Store employees in Australia have reached an agreement with the company on a new four-year contract, bringing the base pay for entry-level employees up to $22.45 ($20.95 USD) and allowing for 2% annual pay increases, reports ifoAppleStore.

The contract (PDF link), which was approved by 90% of the country’s retail employees and certified by the Australian government, will go into effect on November 1 and also reclassifies the hierarchy of retail employees to define specific responsibilities.

The Apple Store in Sydney, Australia
For instance, Level 1 employees include those responsible for store aspects such as assisting customers and doing repairs, which correspond to Apple Specialist and Genius positions, while Level 2 employees are defined as those who work at a “higher level” than Level 1 employees and/or supervise as designated area of the store. Meanwhile, Level 3 employees perform full managerial duties, and correspond to Apple Business Leader, Store Leader, and Market Leader positions.

When the agreement becomes effective this November 1st, starting pay for full-time Level 1 employees will be $20.95 per hour (all rates in U.S. dollars), and Level 2 will start at $25.26. Casual employees will receive 25 percent more per hour to offset fewer benefits. Level 3 employees are management, and will receive a base annual pay of $72,779. The Level 1 base pay represents a 25 percent premium over the current $16.69 Australian minimum wage. However, the annual pay increases are less than the FWC’s 2.6 percent increase in the 2013 minimum wage.

Also included in the new contract are terms on grievance procedures and general working conditions. Notably, workers can receive multiple weeks of “redundancy” pay if Apple determines that a job being performed is no longer required, with compensation depending on age and years of continuous service. Additionally, workers who have a first-aid qualification are paid an extra $29.56 every two weeks, and all workers are also permitted to take two hours off from work to donate blood up to four times a year.

Finally, the agreement touches on the subject of ‘Bag Check’ inspections, which was the subject of a class action lawsuit last year. Apple Australia states that employees will be required to participate and fully-co operate with the bag and locker inspections, as they “may happen at any time.”