Cory Moll, who started an Apple retail union effort in the U.S. in 2011.
Josh Lowensohn/CNETLess than two years after founding the beginnings of a union for Apple retail employees, its leader is leaving the company.
Cory Moll, who has been with Apple since 2007 and founded the Apple Retail Workers Union, is leaving his job by his own choice. He announced the news on Twitter tonight:
Tomorrow will be my last day at Apple.
— Cory Moll (@CoryMoll) April 9, 2013
"I feel that the time has come to go explore the world, discover new opportunities and learn new skills," Moll said in an e-mail. His last day is tomorrow, where he'll be "clapped out," an Apple tradition where employees gather to clap when a longtime staffer makes their final exit. It's the same thing that happens on product launch days when early morning customers make their way into stores.
The original idea for the union, which Moll publicized in May 2011, aimed to improve conditions for employees at Apple's retail stores. That included higher pay, more opportunities for promotion, and improvements to scheduling of hours.
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In an interview with CNET last week, Moll said that some of those objectives -- including better pay for employees -- have since been addressed, but said he wanted to see more advancements certain areas like inside hiring for Geniuses, as well as more flexibility and guarantees for working hours.
As for the future of the union, Moll noted that some stores in Germany and France have formed unions, or have become a part of local unions in order to negotiate changes. With that said, there's nobody in the U.S. who's immediately replacing Moll.
As of September 2012, Apple employed about 42,400 employees at its stores. The company is currently on the hunt for someone to run the group, afterit parted ways with former retail chief John Browett last October.
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