The iPhone 15 launch in France could be disrupted after Apple store workers voted to strike on release day

• Apple store workers in France are set to strike on the same day the tech giant launches the iPhone 15.
• Customers are likely to face disruption and long waits as employees walk out in a dispute over pay.

Apple fans in France may struggle to get their hands on the iPhone 15 when it goes on sale this weekend after Apple store workers announced a national strike.

Workers at France's 20 Apple stores are set to walk out on Friday and Saturday, the same time the company's latest iPhone is due to hit shelves. Unions have accused the American tech giant of not meeting their demands over pay.

"The management having decided to ignore our demands and concerns despite their perfect legitimacy, the 4 unions of Apple Retail France are calling for a strike on the 22nd and 23rd September," the unions said in a joint statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"We will remind management that it is not these movements that harm the company, but rather their denial in the face of the discomfort of its employees," the statement, posted in French, read per an Insider translation.

A representative of the CGT union told French newspaper Liberation that workers could mobilize in three-quarters of the country's Apple stores, while another union official warned that although customers would not be prevented from shopping they should expect longer waits.

The strike stems from a dispute over wages, with Apple France's offer of a 4.5% increase in pay rejected by the unions, who are seeking a rise of 7%.

Apple unveiled the iPhone 15 at its "Wonderlust" event last week. The latest iPhone comes with a range of new features, including a customizable "action button" and a titanium body on the high-end Pro range.

Some fans have been unimpressed by the new model, however, with the iPhone 15 being branded "boring" and "underwhelming" by some on social media.

The strike is the latest headache for Apple in France. The country's regulators recently ordered Apple to stop selling the iPhone 12 in the European nation, saying it emitted unacceptable levels of electromagnetic radiation.

Apple disputed the findings, but has said it will issue a software update to address regulators' concerns. Other European countries are also looking into the iPhone 12's radiation levels, amid fears that the French ban could snowball into Europe-wide restrictions.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider on the strikes, made outside regular US working hours.