French Union Calls for Apple Retail Store Employee Strike Coinciding with iPhone 5 Launch

[maniaco007]

Good!

Nobody complains about the execs getting millions of dollars, and the company is one of the richest on the planet. It's time for Apple to pay its share to everyone. And France are the just the first to ask...

It's time to realize that everyone is getting seriously screwed in the US, salaries have not increased... and have actually decreased compared to REAL inflation (the one that includes gaz prices, real estate, rents, and food prices... that's at least +100% over the past decade). It's time for those companies who are making huge amounts of money on the back of its workers to pay them properly.

What the story fails to say is how much are the workers getting for their job.

The french employees are not asking for a 13th month salary, they're just asking for a real salary. When you get a yearly salary in france, it's not divided in 12, but in 13. The so-called 13th month is not a luxury, it's just a way to distribute the money over the year. And the 13th month just help pay taxes.

Wake up and stop reading news like little teenage boys.

 

[apolloa]

Thanks to Detroit, Flint, and St. Louis (I live here). Top 3 most dangerous cities in the US in 2012...

St. Louis was number 1 back in 2010

What winds me up is when some dumb American decides to go on a killing rampage in a school or something, they try to blame video games and violent films? Never the twisted idea that God told Americans it was their right to kill each other with guns??

America is kinda backward and not very evolved in that sense. Which it should be.

 

[Gasu E.]

I sure know which one I prefer, then again being British I sure know which I prefer as an ally!! lol.

Just like anywhere in the world-- you want something from someone, but you criticize them for doing what it takes to provide it to you.

 

[ps45]

Wow, so you'd be okay with Apple closing their stores in France? Let's see....You're a European (or possibly French) citizen, posting messages in MacRumors. But you don't care about Apple closing stores in France?

I have to think if Steve Jobs were alive and running things, that union would be broken in 2 minutes. He had a history of being especially annoyed with whining and complaining employees, and a bunch of Frenchies pissing and moaning about not getting their wine and baguette every day would have probably sent him through the roof. Fortunately for the white-flag-waving French, they have the more even-tempered Tim Cook to deal with. Perhaps they'll get what they want. Personally, since France is such a ridiculous welfare state, I don't think the striking workers care one way or the other. Either they'll get what they want from Apple, or they'll get it from the French government.

You see, we here in the USA are LAUGHING at how lazy and weak the French people are. Keep saying what you want, but when you look at per capita GDP, the US is ranked 7 and France is ranked 23. Also, when you look at companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, GE, etc., etc., where are they HEADQUARTERED? Where were they founded? Why does the USA have a history of entrepreneurs and free enterprise which far exceeds all of Europe? Why is the US dollar the world's leading reserve currency?

Yeah, we don't have labor unions like you Europeans do. But we sure know how to make more money than you, and, quite frankly, you and the rest of Europe would be under Nazi rule right now if it weren't for us. So, please **** and enjoy your McDonalds lunch and Apple products, okay?

Let me just say for the record that I am embarrassed by the above. This is why the rest of the world laughs at us

 

[BSben]

Crappy food?

Or so busy planning our holidays (or as US folks would say vacations), that we have no time to eat

 

[Tanax]

Not quite. But if you choose to work for an American company, it is indeed a choice. If you would like to work elsewhere, please leave your job and make room for someone who wants to work there. Same advice I give to my employees.

Yes, but it is the American company that is trying to reach the European market, not the European workers trying to work for an American company. Ergo, it is the American company who has to learn the European way if they want to be successful here.

If it indeed was what you're saying, then a more likely scenario would be that a European worker have moved to US and starts working there. THEN that European worker has to abide by their rules and standards. However, this isn't the case.

 

[unlinked]

Warfare has changed since the 1950s. In general, US military spending has been a massive subsidy first to Western Europe and later most of Europe (which was able to spend much less on the military as a result). Libya notwithstanding, most "NATO" missions are primarily US-funded. It's something to keep in mind when comparing levels of taxation vs. benefits.

US military spending is corporate welare. Nothing to do with Europe.

 

[AgRacer]

So, these employees that work in expensive areas and want a cheap paid for meal, can they not bring food from home?

Can they not bring a water bottle from home in their lunch box? Or is that a French law too?

Apple should agree to those demands, then fire everyone, and hire them all back at a lower salary = (old salary/13 - meal).

 

[nazaar]

well they say being unionized is a good thing....

But it seems in some cases greed supersedes common sense.

I don't care for unions.

 

[ctcampbell]

NO. We do not. Where did you get the idea we get a bonus? Certainly not people working in the retail industry. ARE YOU SERIOUS? I didn't know Europe was that far gone. No wonder you can't compete. Europe, what have you invented, created or given the world lately? I seriously can't think of anything.

If anyone gets a bonus, it is either part of their original work contract. And usually based on performance. Not the fact that they didn't get fired for 12 months. And often, the bonus is in the form of stock or options in that said company that don't vest for another 5 years. 2 weeks paid vacation is often the norm for someone in a job with some sort of responsibility, not someone in charge of "hey, where's the iPhones?"

BMW, Mercedes, Audi.

 

[DrDomVonDoom]

I think a lot of this "WTF" which even was my first reaction when I read that, had more to do with the American eyes looking at what is the norm for us. We typically are some of the hardest workers in the world, mostly because we work off this 'American Dream' syndrome which is, more, bigger, better faster.

Example, I havn't had a vacation...**** in years. I live in Alaska as a welder, i get my 9 hours a day 6 days a week for **** pay, breathing in smoke all day, gonna get cancer eventually boo hoo for me. lol. It pays the bills, and its something I am good at so my chances of being fired are low.

I'm only 25, I haven't left this state since 2000 I think, why? American is a high revver, you can't just chillax here and do nothing and think your going to be okay, unless you got the mass quantities of dough to support yourself. Most of my money goes to bills, Truck payments, insurance, in the winter we use LOTS of fuel, and everything is more expensive here. Living here is hard, leaving is MUCH harder, especially since we can't even drive out of the state without a passport.

Theres the "Americans are fat and lazy" stereotype, and then we keep getting reports that Americans work far too hard, so which is true? Prolly both, we work hard so we can be lazy later.

Maybe we could learn something from the french, not that I could afford their lifestyle, but maybe them being a little far lenient shows we could use a little leniency. We make companies VAST ammounts of wealth, and workers generally, do all the work, make all that wealth possible, are the ones who get scraps, are generally treated like ****, are fired before they retire, get ****ed out of their bennies, and loyalty isn't rewarded. Theres something wrong with a company when the CEO gets more in a bonus then their yearly wages, and the workers get cut vacations and benefits, and we as Americans totally defend it because anything else would be a spit in the face of American Ingenuity, I call ********. Settling for less is NOT an American ideal.

 

[organerito]

Wow, so you'd be okay with Apple closing their stores in France? Let's see....You're a European (or possibly French) citizen, posting messages in MacRumors. But you don't care about Apple closing stores in France?

I have to think if Steve Jobs were alive and running things, that union would be broken in 2 minutes. He had a history of being especially annoyed with whining and complaining employees, and a bunch of Frenchies pissing and moaning about not getting their wine and baguette every day would have probably sent him through the roof. Fortunately for the white-flag-waving French, they have the more even-tempered Tim Cook to deal with. Perhaps they'll get what they want. Personally, since France is such a ridiculous welfare state, I don't think the striking workers care one way or the other. Either they'll get what they want from Apple, or they'll get it from the French government.

You see, we here in the USA are LAUGHING at how lazy and weak the French people are. Keep saying what you want, but when you look at per capita GDP, the US is ranked 7 and France is ranked 23. Also, when you look at companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, GE, etc., etc., where are they HEADQUARTERED? Where were they founded? Why does the USA have a history of entrepreneurs and free enterprise which far exceeds all of Europe? Why is the US dollar the world's leading reserve currency?

Yeah, we don't have labor unions like you Europeans do. But we sure know how to make more money than you, and, quite frankly, you and the rest of Europe would be under Nazi rule right now if it weren't for us. So, please **** and enjoy your McDonalds lunch and Apple products, okay?

You are right. There have been many bright American. You are just not one of them.
Apple have to follow French law!

 

[uknowimright]

as an American, the replies from some of my compatriots are quite embarrassing

 

[urbanlung]

It's difficult to know when to meddle and when not to. If we don't intervene, people act like we aren't using our military strength to help and people are hurt. If we do, everyone acts like we are bothering people and 5 years later they are upset with us for acting like we should watch over the place we had Americans dying to protect. I will just say that the world might be a much different place if we didn't have our military strength, sometimes intervening to help other countries. Much much different.

I suggest that you read up on the 'help' that the US has offered in numerous countries in central and South America, The Middle East and Asia before you ask the question of whether it is right to meddle. The US acts if it is in the US's interest and it thinks it can get away with it, the outcome for everyone else is collateral.

 

[AgRacer]

It's time to realize that everyone is getting seriously screwed in the US, salaries have not increased... and have actually decreased compared to REAL inflation (the one that includes gaz prices, real estate, rents, and food prices... that's at least +100% over the past decade). It's time for those companies who are making huge amounts of money on the back of its workers to pay them properly.

Only if you stop talking like a 5 yr old.

You understand real wages have not increased BECAUSE OF THE FED, not because of companies not paying thier fair share, right?

 

[cankster]

Are you serious!? Free healthcare is the mark of a civilised society. The US system is almost universally considered woefully inefficient and parasitic. If you think you get a good deal out of your health industry you haven't been paying enough attention.

Every possible benefit will soon be the mark of a civilized society. Housing, medical care, retirement care, paid vacations, clothing, disability. I mean come on. You cant see the end of this trend? I see it. It's us with no freedom to move or breathe, being taken care of from cradle to grave by a big fat corrupt government.

 

[flux73]

Are the employees being forced to work for Apple?

This is kinda like a coffee shop suing you (or not serving you anymore) for not tipping because everyone else usually does.

 

[urbanlung]

I think unions have a helpful place in the workforce but I don't see this example as making much sense.

It's too bad this thread boiled down to "my country is better than yours".

Image

Great cartoon but I think you have slightly misrepresented the conversation.

 

[alfonsog]

Just shows how crappy our unions, benefits, and wages are here in the USA. We just love to complain here but no one does anything. Instead they do something about it in Europe and we complain that they are taking advantage of their employer instead of rooting for the workers. They have the ability to strike but we really don't because we will lose our healthcare and wages. Which people are really more free? Socialist countries still have billionaires and great ideas. Can't we see that a CEO needn't make 380 to 1 pay gap

 

[apolloa]

Just like anywhere in the world-- you want something from someone, but you criticize them for doing what it takes to provide it to you.

Well, we hate the French, so who else are you going to side with? The Germans?

I mean it was Britain and America that managed to screw up the planets economy. That special relationship..
Ally means more then war. And I would still prefer America in that sense too and not just in war, I like Australians too though.
You could also flip the coin because who was it that went to Iraq for a second time with America? And that was against the UN too if I remember! Certainly displays a special relationship that does, to send people to die for another country's cause.

 

[ctcampbell]

I think a lot of this "WTF" which even was my first reaction when I read that, had more to do with the American eyes looking at what is the norm for us. We typically are some of the hardest workers in the world, mostly because we work off this 'American Dream' syndrome which is, more, bigger, better faster.

Example, I havn't had a vacation...**** in years. I live in Alaska as a welder, i get my 9 hours a day 6 days a week for **** pay, breathing in smoke all day, gonna get cancer eventually boo hoo for me. lol. It pays the bills, and its something I am good at so my chances of being fired are low.

I'm only 25, I haven't left this state since 2000 I think, why? American is a high revver, you can't just chillax here and do nothing and think your going to be okay, unless you got the mass quantities of dough to support yourself. Most of my money goes to bills, Truck payments, insurance, in the winter we use LOTS of fuel, and everything is more expensive here. Living here is hard, leaving is MUCH harder, especially since we can't even drive out of the state without a passport.

Theres the "Americans are fat and lazy" stereotype, and then we keep getting reports that Americans work far too hard, so which is true? Prolly both, we work hard so we can be lazy later.

Maybe we could learn something from the french, not that I could afford their lifestyle, but maybe them being a little far lenient shows we could use a little leniency. We make companies VAST ammounts of wealth, and workers generally, do all the work, make all that wealth possible, are the ones who get scraps, are generally treated like ****, are fired before they retire, get ****ed out of their bennies, and loyalty isn't rewarded. Theres something wrong with a company when the CEO gets more in a bonus then their yearly wages, and the workers get cut vacations and benefits, and we as Americans totally defend it because anything else would be a spit in the face of American Ingenuity, I call ********. Settling for less is NOT an American ideal.

Wise words.

 

[Gasu E.]

Unlike the Americans. Which war was it you won, certainly none of the recent ones, despite your world beating expenditure.

America won the last three; Gulf, Afghanistan, Gulf II. We threw Saddam out if Kuwait, replaced the Taliban and then replaced Saddam. It's the peace we lost, in the last two. We stayed around to stablize the new government, which was a fool's errand. But winning the war and winning the peace are two separate things.

 

[cankster]

Well said. A lot of people on this thread seem to think it's virtuous to work yourself to death so the rich can get richer.

Lmao. They havent prioritized anything. There is not enough work so they have more days off and free time. Its not a decision. Its making the best of the situation.

 

[Itakou]

I don't usually post on these forums but you're just too funny.

I remember my younger days when I had to work in a factory. They manufactured stuff with fiber glass so they actually had industrial heaters everywhere cranked up so the fiber glass hardens faster.

We wore full body suits and breathed through respirators because the air and chemicals were toxic. The room temperature is always at least 50C. And there is a lot of physical labour involved (conveyor belts only go so far).

I made $8 an hour, which was minimal wage. I didn't bitch about it -- I needed the money and I had no other options. It just compelled me to do better in school.

I believe an honest day's work deserves a honest day's pay. Want to make more money? Get a skill that doesn't make you replaceable in 5 minutes.

how do you motivate people working 35 hours including weekends sacrificing their private life with a low wage in compensation with constant pressure for getting positive client feedback, pressure for selling One to One, AppleCare and Joint Venture contracts and now pressure for phone contracts too ?


how would you react if your employer told you that he couldn't do anything about defective air conditioning in your office over the last 2-3 years ?

would you simply bring your own water and keep your mouth shut ?


what do you think about a company that looks cool from the outside, but is not considering its employees well, no recognition, no social ladder, no significant salary raise taking performance into consideration ?

 

[ps45]

The middle class in Europe does not have as high a standard of living as the middle class in America. Not even close. You might be happier though, and thats what really counts so......

Define 'standard of living' where happiness is a footnote. Do you mean having more cash to spend on stand mixers, changing cars every two years and remodeling bathrooms? Or do you mean spending time with the family, taking vacations and seeing other countries? Per capita disposable income is a poor measure, which is why most developed nations are working on 'quality of life' indicators.