iPhone 15 launch: Apple hit by strike at its stores in France

The launch of a new product, the moment that should be the highlight of the year for the apple brand, may be disrupted in France. While Apple is set to launch the new iPhone 15, employees at several Apple Stores have gone on strike for two days. And to be heard, they chose Friday and Saturday, the launch dates of the new iPhone in France.

The movement will be accompanied by a rally on the Place de l’Opéra in Paris, very close to one of the American giant’s stores, our colleagues from Libération report. “We had a fruitless conversation with management,” reports Karin Shushan from CGT Apple Retail in Lieb.

The union demands a 7% increase

We are talking about discussions around salary increases that would not benefit workers. “Management told us that we were well off at Apple and that the future of the company could be in jeopardy if there was a strike,” says Albin Wolfow, CFDT’s national representative for Apple Retail. But in the context of inflation and a difficult period for employees, we decided to make ourselves known and talk about our demands.” Although access to stores will not be impeded, it must be disrupted and accompanied by “noise.”

A CGT colleague said the strike movement could affect almost three-quarters of stores. The union is demanding a 7% increase, while management is now offering 4.5% and one euro more per food voucher, again according to Libération.

“If we had stuck to what the company offered us, most employees’ raises would have been below inflation. Knowing that we are the largest company in the world, this seems unthinkable to us,” Albin Wolfow tells our colleagues. The unions are also demanding an end to the hiring freeze at Apple Stores, “harmonization of corporate benefits for all employees without any distinction and a review of the group’s long-term strategic vision.”

Apple France representatives contacted by Le Parisien did not respond to our queries.