Italian Apple store employees strike on iPhone 18 Pro launch day

By Alex Fraser and Alvise Armellini

MILAN, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Italian Apple store employees went on strike over their working conditions on Friday, the launch day for the new iPhone 18 Pro, the latest version of the U.S. tech giant's premium smartphone.

The strike runs all day, the Filcams CGIL, Fisascat CISL and Uiltucs trade unions said, with pickets planned outside some Apple stores.

In Milan's city centre, dozens of workers gathered outside Apple's flagship glass-cube store, waving red flags and making noise with whistles and rattlers, as clients queued to enter the premises.

"For Apple as a company, image is very important," said Nicholas Pezze, a Filcams CGIL union representative. "As unions, we thought this would be the right day to stage an image of protest from the workers we represent."

More than 1,600 employees in 17 Apple stores are concerned by the strike, Fisascat CISL said last week.

An Apple spokesperson said its outlets would operate normally.

"Our retail and online stores are open today, and we are excited to welcome our customers as usual," the spokesperson said.

Sales of the iPhone 18 Pro launched worldwide on Friday. It was presented last week along with the Duo, Apple's first foldable smartphone, which is due to hit the market on October 23. 

In Italy, retail prices for the iPhone 18 Pro will start from €1,489 ($1,710), according to Apple's online store. 

Unions said the new iPhone launches entailed more work for Apple retail staff whose job descriptions are increasingly confusing and geared towards providing customer care.

"Discussions with staff highlighted a worsening in working conditions ... without adequate attention being paid to employees' well-being," Filcams CGIL said in a statement.

The unions are demanding that more employees be hired, the moving of fixed-term employees onto permanent contracts, and that part-time staff be given the option of working longer hours if they so wish. 

Apple's spokesperson said the company was "proud to offer industry-leading compensation and benefits", pointing to its private medical, dental and vision coverage as well as its mental health and wellness support programme.

($1 = 0.8709 euros)

(Additiona reporting by Valentina Za and Elvira Pollina; Editing by Joe Bavier and Ros Russell)