BEIJING, Oct. 11 (Reuters) - Australia's retail and fast food workers' union (RAFFWU) has voted to strike due to a lack of progress in wage negotiations, an official from the Australian trade union group, the Retail and Fast-Food Workers Union (RAFFWU), said on Tuesday. RAFFWU represents Apple employees in Australia.

The RAFFWU said they were planning a one-hour strike on October 18, disrupting Apple's retail store operations in Australia and adding to industrial relations pressures the company faces elsewhere. RAFFWU represents about 150 of the 4,000 Apple employees in Australia, and the strike will result in a limited majority of customer service in at least three of Apple's 22 Australian stores.

According to RAFFWU, the strike will be the first for Apple in Australia and will expand the scope of collective bargaining that Apple faces globally. They want Apple to guarantee wage increases reflect inflation (Australia's inflation rate is around 7%, double the central bank's target range), and to guarantee two consecutive weekends, not separate ones.

Apple responded by saying its minimum wage was 17% higher than the industry minimum, and full-time employees were guaranteed weekend time. "We are committed to providing the best possible experience for our employees, including very generous compensation and benefits, annual share awards and a comprehensive leave policy, all of which exceed Australian industry standards."