New Delhi: Thousands of workers at Apple Stores in Italy went on strike Friday. They decided to make it a big day as well, the day of Apple’s new iPhone 18 Pro launch, which is one of the busiest days in the year for sales.
More than 1,600 employees at all 17 Apple stores in Italy joined the strike, according to labor union Fisascat CISL. The Filcams CGIL, Fisascat CISL and Uiltucs trade unions announced their members would not work for the day, but would remain outside the stores with their signs and flags. Outside of Apple’s famous glass cube store in Milan city center, employees waved red flags and sounded whistles, while the customers stood in line to enter the store.
Why launch day? A Union representative said “a union leader,” in simple terms. Nicholas Pezze, a Filcams CGIL representative, said that image is an important factor for Apple, and that’s the day they should demonstrate their displeasure.
What is the workers’ objective in the struggle? Without adequate support, the job has become more difficult, the unions say. They said that with the new release of the iPhone, store employees have more work to do and have lost clarity of their duties, as they are being pulled into more customer service. In the negotiations with the staff conditions have deteriorated and workers’ well-being had not been sufficiently taken into account, the Filcams CGIL said.
The unions are asking for three key things: more full-time employees, more permanent workers, and more part-time employees that can decide on wanting to work more hours. This is a continuing process to re-negotiate the company’s labor contract, not a failure to negotiate, Union representatives said.
Apple’s reaction was to come up with a justification for how it’s treated workers. Apple was “proud to provide the industry’s best compensation and benefits, including medical, dental and vision plans and mental health programs,” a company spokesman said. Apple also announced that its stores would be open and operating normally throughout the strike.
It’s not the first time Apple employees at retail stores in Europe have taken to the streets to protest on their less-than-perfect working day. In France, unions declared a strike during the iPhone 15 release, claiming that they require higher wages to protect against inflation.
The iPhone 18 Pro can be purchased in Italy at €1,489 and Apple’s new foldable iPhone will be available October 23.
