Apple Workers in Italy Strike as iPhone 18 Pro Goes on Sale

More than 1,600 Apple retail workers across 17 Apple Stores in Italy went on strike on Friday as the iPhone 18 Pro officially went on sale worldwide, creating an unusual contrast between enthusiastic customer queues and coordinated industrial action over pay, staffing and workplace conditions. The nationwide strike was organized by the Filcams CGIL, Fisascat CISL and Uiltucs trade unions, with demonstrations taking place outside Apple Stores in Rome, Milan and other major Italian cities.

Union officials said employees were expected to stop work for their entire shifts as part of the coordinated action, making it one of the largest labour protests ever staged by Apple’s retail workforce in Italy. The industrial action coincided with the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro, which Apple unveiled last week alongside the Apple Duo, its first foldable smartphone. While the iPhone 18 Pro entered stores immediately, the Duo is scheduled to go on sale on October 23.

The strike centres on long-running negotiations over wages, staffing levels and working conditions rather than the product launch itself. Union leaders argue that frontline retail employees have faced increasing workloads and unpredictable scheduling while compensation has failed to keep pace with Italy’s rising cost of living.

Despite the demonstrations, Apple said its retail and online operations would continue functioning throughout the day.

“Our retail and online stores are operating today, and we look forward to welcoming our customers as usual,” an Apple spokesperson said.

Apple’s Italian online store lists the iPhone 18 Pro at a starting price of €1,489 (about $1,710), making the flagship one of the company’s highest-priced consumer devices in the European market.

According to union representatives, the dispute is rooted in employment conditions rather than opposition to Apple’s commercial success. Workers are demanding more predictable working hours, improved staffing during peak sales periods and salary adjustments that better reflect inflation and the pressures associated with major product launches.

The simultaneous launch and strike have placed Apple in an unusual position: celebrating a flagship product release while facing visible labour unrest in one of its key European retail markets. Although stores remained open, reduced staffing and demonstrations drew attention to the employees responsible for delivering the company’s customer experience.

The dispute reflects a wider trend across Europe, where workers at multinational retailers have increasingly sought stronger collective bargaining rights amid persistent inflation and changing workplace expectations. From logistics to technology retail, unions have intensified calls for better pay, improved scheduling and greater work-life balance as consumer demand remains resilient.

For Apple, the timing is particularly significant. The iPhone launch is traditionally one of the company’s most important commercial moments, generating substantial foot traffic and global media attention. This year, however, the debut of the iPhone 18 Pro has become as much about the people selling the devices as the technology itself.

As negotiations continue, the events in Italy underscore a growing reality for global brands: innovation and blockbuster product launches increasingly unfold alongside rising expectations from employees seeking a greater share in the success of the companies they help build.