French unions protest against wages at the Apple Store (Source: online -trade union poster)
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As the iPhone 15 hits stores on September 22, Apple Store employees across France will go on strike over wages.
On the same day that the first iPhone 15 models ordered online are delivered to customers, Apple Stores around the world will begin shipping them. Consequently, Friday 22 September 2023 and Saturday 23 September are expected to be exceptionally busy times for stores.
However, according to Bloomberg, strikes in various forms will take place at Apple Stores across France on both days. A group of French unions, including CGT, Unsa, CFDT and CFTC, say there will be a demonstration in front of the Apple store at the Paris Opera on Friday.
Unions say Apple has refused a requested 7% wage increase aimed at compensating for inflation. Bloomberg reports that Apple offered 4.5%
“Because management has chosen to ignore our demands and concerns, despite their full legitimacy,” the unions said (translated) on Twitter/X, “four unions Apple Retail France (as well as representatives of the Barcelona and Corporation teams) are calling for a strike on September 22 and 23. “
Thus, we will remind management that it is not these movements that harm the company,” the unions continued, “but rather, their denial in the face of the ill health of its employees.”
There are 20 Apple Stores in France, and there will reportedly be a number of protests there. Some employees are expected to stop working for one hour, although it is unclear whether will this happen on both days?
The strike follows a similar action in Australia in 2022. This is also not the first time Apple Store employees in France have gone on strike on the day of the iPhone's release.
French employees protest against the launch of the iPhone 5 in 2012 (Source: IBTIMES TV via DailyMotion)
In 2012, members of the Solidaires Unitaires Democratiques (SUD) Union staged a protest when the iPhone 5 went on sale.
In addition, Apple has advised Apple Store employees in France not to provide customers with information about the French government's recent allegations of radiation problems with the iPhone 12.
