Apple workers in Australia could strike before Christmas
Chip Somodevilla

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) workers in Australia are slated to go on strike shortly before Christmas as they seek better wages and working conditions, in a move that would potentially put the tech giant's sales in the country at risk.
The strike, expected to last from 3 p.m. local time on December 23 and until Christmas Eve, would result in roughly 200 of the company's 4,000 employees in Australia leaving their posts. The employees are seeking concessions such as higher wages, a set number of hours of work, weekends of two consecutive days and an annual wage increase.
However, Apple (AAPL) has refused to meet until February, according to Josh Cullinan, the secretary of Australia's Retail and Fast Food Workers Union.
"This Christmas strike is a way for our members to take back their time with family and friends while management continues to refuse to give workers the most basic minimum rostering rights," Cullinan said in an interview with Reuters. Cullinan added that Apple (AAPL) management would be notified on Monday of the employees intention to strike. 
The RAFFWU also noted that other strike actions that have occurred throughout 2022 would be intensified, including banning iPhone repair and Apple Watch repair for certain hours in some stores, as well as not answering the door, not conducting sales or wearing the company's red t-shirts in other stores.
Apple (AAPL) does not break down sales by country, but fourth-quarter revenue from the rest of Asia Pacific was $6.37B, up from $5.19B in the year-ago quarter.
The strike would be felt across the Australia, but would likely see the largest impact at two stores in Brisbane and one each in Adelaide and Newcastle.
Apple (AAPL) did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Seeking Alpha.
Cupertino, California-based Apple (AAPL) has dealt with retail employee unrest at several U.S. stores in 2022.
In June, Apple Store employees in Towson, Maryland voted in favor of joining a union, becoming the first to do so. Employees at an Apple Store in store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma followed suit, and in October became the second store that voted to join a union. Apple (AAPL) has so far been against unionization.
Other Apple (AAPL) stores around the U.S. have voted against joining a union, but have made their displeasure known with their wages and working conditions, most recently at a store in St. Louis, Missouri.
On Friday, Apple (AAPL) and Ericsson (ERIC) signed a global patent cross-license agreement for the latter's patented cellular standard -essential technologies.