Apple prepares the debut of the new iPhone 18, while Apple's Italian employees get ready to cross your arms. The 18 September, on the very day of the arrival of the new smartphones in the shops, Filcams Cgil, Fisascat Cisl and Uiltucs have proclaimed a national strike for the entire work shiftOne of the group's most important commercial events thus becomes an opportunity to highlight the conditions of those who sell its products and assist customers.
At the heart of the protest are staff shortages and increasing workloads, to which, according to the unions, the company has not provided adequate answers. For those hoping to purchase the new device immediately, this could cause disruption at the affected stores, even though no launch delay has been announced.
Apple strike: 1.600 workers involved, with pickets in Milan and Rome
The mobilization involves an audience of approximately 1.600 employees at 17 Italian Apple StoresThe decision was made following the September 7th meetings, held simultaneously in stores across Italy to assess the progress of negotiations with the company. The strike is part of a state of agitation started in June, after months of negotiations which, according to the trade unions, have not produced sufficient measures.
For September 18th I am two garrisons are also planned, in Milan in front of the Piazza Liberty store and in Rome at the one on Via del Corso. The dispute will thus bring the employees' demands to the symbolic locations of Apple's commercial presence in Italy, just as customers' attention is focused on the new products.
Insufficient staffing and pressure on productivity
What is pushing workers towards stopping is above all the distance between the requested activities and the available staffAccording to the unions, the meetings revealed a picture of increasing workloads and increased pressure on productivity, further exacerbated by the introduction of new organizational processes. "Store workers have long been enduring a level of pressure that cannot be further aggravated. We have put forward specific proposals to address the organizational difficulties, but so far no adequate responses have been forthcoming," the union explained. Filcams Cgil.
The arrival of the new generation of smartphones risks, according to the union, exacerbating existing difficulties. Sales, reception, and support require staff capable of sustaining the intensification of work without shifting the burden onto employees. "Innovation must also improve working conditions. Behind every product sold and every support intervention lies expertise, professionalism, and a daily commitment that Apple must recognize with concrete decisions," the union stated. Francesco Muci, operator of the national Fisascat Cisl.
Apple Italy: Hiring and Contracts: Why Discussions Remain Stalled
The requests presented by the acronyms aim at a structural strengthening of the workforceThe unions are calling for a coordinated hiring plan, the conversion of some fixed-term contracts into permanent contracts, and the possibility for part-time workers to voluntarily increase their hours. These measures will be defined based on the needs of individual stores and with specific deadlines. According to the union report, in meetings over the past few months, including the one on July 29, Apple did not accept these proposals, limiting themselves to announcing more fixed-term hires and an advance on their start date.
This response was deemed insufficient to address the reported issues. Hence the decision to pause on launch day, when customer demand for the new iPhones will be met with employee demand for more sustainable working conditions.
