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Let's also keep in mind that France mandates a minimum of 5 weeks paid vacation, and they have a 35 hour work week. Oh and what.. about a dozen paid holidays?
 
Perhaps they should go work in the factories that make the iPhones. That might broaden their perspective a little.

Agreed. My friends Russian wife condemns people like that "to the rice fields" for rehabilitation. LMAO.
 
Just to clarify, your year salary is divided into 13 instead of 12 and you get double salary in December.

It's not a bonus.
 
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...and the uninformed come out in force...

Things are different here in western Europe. We pay much higher taxes, everything costs a lot more (search for the price of anything and compare it to what we pay) and we end up with a lot less disposable income when compared to a similar job in the US.

As a result of this, we expect a fair trade-off in working conditions.

So yes, some of these things might sound crazy to you guys, but you need to compare it in context.
 
French workers go on strike. What's next, will the sun rise in the east tomorrow?
 
Just to clarify, your month salary is divided into 13 instead of 12 and you get double salary in December.

It's not a bonus.

+1

Anyway, does anyone know wich is the average salary of Apple Store employees in France?
 
Let's also keep in mind that France mandates a minimum of 5 weeks paid vacation, and they have a 35 hour work week. Oh and what.. about a dozen paid holidays?

Damn, that sounds horrible. I guess America, where fighting for two weeks vacation and being too afraid to even use it each year is where it's at, right?
 
really?

this is an easy one... let em go! striking is just another way of temporarily quitting... if its anything like it is here, apple will have no problem hiring a group of people to replace these folks and they'll move right along. such a no-brainer here for apple.
 
...and the uninformed come out in force...

Things are different here in western Europe. We pay much higher taxes, everything costs a lot more (search for the price of anything and compare it to what we pay) and we end up with a lot less disposable income when compared to a similar job in the US.

As a result of this, we expect a fair trade-off in working conditions.

So yes, some of these things might sound crazy to you guys, but you need to compare it in context.

Understandable. But I would argue that these demands are very much part of what is responsible for the conditions you speak of. The more the companies have to pay to stay in business, the more they charge for products. Sounds like Europe is in a vicious cycle :p.
 
seems like every time I visit Paris the bus/metro drivers are striking, maybe its a hobby for them.

yes, it is indeed a hobby

Protesting "working conditions?" No drinking fountain? No meal vouchers? No free month's pay? Really? They work in an Apple Store, not a sweatshop. Wow. Just wow. :rolleyes:

Water fountains and meal vouchers I could go along with, but paying an extra month's salary?? Non!

13 months of pay? Lol France.

How about you idiots get back to work and stop complaining. You don't like it go work somewhere else.

Hahahaha, 13th month of pay, water fountains, and free food eh? It sounds like things are pretty rough over there.

well, all that seems normal in france, and they work for apple, i. e. the most valuable company in the world, so why not? they are not selling cookies, they are selling iphones and imacs.

*Sigh*....gotta love unions.....

they do love them in France


what a joke.

unions + european "benefits" explain why nothing excellent ever gets done on that side of the world.

you are wrong my friend, won't tell you why, there are too many things to even start listing. I would suggest you get some general knowledge; maybe try reading a little bit more and try wikipedia, there is a lot of good info over there.

That'd be nice
And a 6th day of pay each week!

8.33% calendar raise, by tradition. I like the sound of that!

i agree, that one might be a little bit excessive
 
Example of how unions suck

Hurt the company on their biggest shopping day of the year? Bad move union. If workers were dying from unsafe conditions, OK. But "We want water fountains or we'll strike on your busiest day."? Come on.

And the union sent the announcement out with less than 24-hour notice to its members? "Hey everybody, let's strike tomorrow." That's unprofessional.

Unions had their place in developed countries years ago but today they're fighting for water fountains, free meals, and paying employees for a fictitious month. I won't be giving them a percentage of my paycheck to fight for those stupid things for me.
 
this is an easy one... let em go! striking is just another way of temporarily quitting... if its anything like it is here, apple will have no problem hiring a group of people to replace these folks and they'll move right along. such a no-brainer here for apple.

LOL. Also agreed. Its a great opportunity to lower overhead!
 
guys,

yes free water fountain

the AC has been down for ages at the Apple Store at the Louvre, staff has been working for the last 3 years with inconsistent temperature conditions topping 40°C

try to work in these conditions before criticizing

as for meal vouchers... Opera and Louvre are locating in very expensive tourist locations of Paris

the less expensive meal would be McDonald's

unless you want to eat something else than this kind of crap, one must spend a significant amount everyday, compared to low wages given in France
 
I live in belgium (europe) and we also have a 13th month. And when we go to the dentist, doctor , we pay around 40$ and half of it we get back. Operations, illness won't cost us a house... That's good health care .
 
...and the uninformed come out in force...

Things are different here in western Europe. We pay much higher taxes, everything costs a lot more (search for the price of anything and compare it to what we pay) and we end up with a lot less disposable income when compared to a similar job in the US.

There's a correlation here. All those "rights" you have cost money. Part of the reason Apple products (and everything else) are cheaper here is that we have lower taxes*, fewer consumer "rights," longer working hours, a smaller welfare state, etc.


* Actually, our corporate tax rate is higher in the US, which is a big political debate right now, particularly since places like Sweden have actually lowered corporate tax rates in recent years.
 
seems like every time I visit Paris the bus/metro drivers are striking, maybe its a hobby for them.

It's a national pastime. August is a more common month for strikes, though, since people are often on vacation that month in Europe, and so a transit strike has a bigger impact.
 
...and the uninformed come out in force...

Things are different here in western Europe. We pay much higher taxes, everything costs a lot more (search for the price of anything and compare it to what we pay) and we end up with a lot less disposable income when compared to a similar job in the US.

As a result of this, we expect a fair trade-off in working conditions.

So yes, some of these things might sound crazy to you guys, but you need to compare it in context.
Maybe they should lower taxes and reduce government benefits instead of demanding more from companies which in turn jacks up prices of products and services to customers. Then customers go elsewhere and stores close and people get fired. Over taxation is bad. Just look at the 3 largest states in the US. CA, NY and IL. Heavily taxed, heavily unionized and on the bring of bankruptcy.
 
...and the uninformed come out in force...

Things are different here in western Europe. We pay much higher taxes, everything costs a lot more (search for the price of anything and compare it to what we pay) and we end up with a lot less disposable income when compared to a similar job in the US.

As a result of this, we expect a fair trade-off in working conditions.

So yes, some of these things might sound crazy to you guys, but you need to compare it in context.

I'm not sure you pay much higher taxes. My combined marginal rate is over 50% and in any case you get far more from your taxes. Plus, it's difficult to compare given all the different taxes (property, VAT, excise, sales, capital gains, healthcare penalty, etc.).
 
There's a correlation here. All those "rights" you have cost money. Part of the reason Apple products (and everything else) are cheaper here is that we have lower taxes*, fewer consumer "rights," longer working hours, a smaller welfare state, etc.


* Actually, our corporate tax rate is higher in the US, which is a big political debate right now, particularly since places like Sweden have actually lowered corporate tax rates in recent years.
I'm sorry, but at what point in my comment did you see my complaining about the price of things?

I was simply stating how things are. We get benefits from this too, like everything we buy coming with 1 or 2 years warranty as standard.

I'm not asking for things to be cheaper, I was just stating our priorities are different and you shouldn't compare without context.
 
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