Louis Vuitton workers strike to demand wage increase

London - Some of the 'petit mains' of Louis Vuitton's workshops staged a walkout this week demanding a "worthy" wage increase, French union sources said.

The unions called on employees to gather early Wednesday morning in front of the French production units, the eve of a final annual salary negotiation session.

According to Jean-Marc Damelincourt, a spokesman for the French union FO, the last strike at Vuitton dates back fifteen years. "Calling for a walkout at Vuitton is difficult, people are afraid of being seen badly, but today a good part of the employees have mobilized to show their dissatisfaction," he stated.

"Louis Vuitton has once again registered an exceptional year 2016 and we are proud to have contributed to this result. We want a remuneration worthy of our commitment and the standing of our society."

Louis Vuitton posted record sales of 37 billion euros in 2016

The profit results of Vuitton are not made public, but as LVMH's flagship brand, the house contributes significantly to the performance of Bernard Arnault's group, which finished 2016 with record sales of 37 billion euros.

Mr. Damelincourt said the turnout for the strike was 30 percent of all employees from the workshops in Issoudun and in Condé, more than 50 percent from the facilities in Asnières, and 25 percent to 50 percent of employees in workshops in the Ardèche area and in the Drôme.

Louis Vuitton currently operates 18 leather workshops, 12 of which are in France. The house employs 4,500 people, including 2,000 in French workshops, according to the unions.

Photo credit: Louisvuitton.com