Buying a launch day iPhone 15 in France is going to be even harder than usual, here's why

If you’re planning on going to an Apple Store in France to buy an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro on launch day, maybe think again. It might not be a fun time at all.

The same goes for anyone buying an Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2. Or anything else for that matter.

And while the Apple Store on new iPhone day can be a bit of a nightmare at the best of times, matters are going to be complicated after Unions representing French Apple Store employees called for strike action on Friday, September 22, and Saturday, September 23.

Industrial action in various forms

Bloomberg reports that a group of unions that includes CGT, Unsa, CFDT, and CFTC have requested a 7% increase in pay for their members to offset the effects of inflation. A statement from the group says that Apple won’t comply, and that strike action is coming.

As for Apple, it says that it will agree to a 4.5% increase.

With strike action now seemingly unavoidable, it appears that it will take various forms across 20 stores. Some employees will stop working for a single hour which might not be that bad for customers, depending on when they do it.

Apple is no stranger to the threat of industrial action by its retail employees although this case is unusual in that it will directly affect what is arguably Apple’s most important launch of the year. New iPhones and Apple Watches are big in terms of Apple Store footfall, not to mention sales. And with stores potentially impacted by walkouts, this is something that could well spill over and impact the ordinary person on the street who just wants to pick up a sweet new iPhone.

Those who placed orders for home delivery will of course not be impacted by this strike action.