Today, a riot broke out at an iPhone manufacturing unit in Narasapura, India owned by Wistron, Apple’s major supplier. Employees got violent and vandalized the production facility over pay issue, working claim that they are not being paid the amount settled by the company as per The Times of India.
The rioters targeted the senior executives of the iPhone manufacturing plant and not only broke assembly units, furniture, door but also set fire to the cars at the facility. The local police were called to get the situation under control.
In August, Wistron officially began test iPhone production in India. The decision is speculated to be based on strenuous political and economic relations between the United States and China. The company recruited 10,000 employees for the facility and was set to use it for mass iPhone production if the test phase passed successfully. Later that month, Apple confirmed that the iPhone SE (2nd generation) was being assembled in India for local demand at Wistron’s new production facility. In addition, Apple’s other major supplier, Foxconn had also bought assembling units in the country.
Riot at Wistron’s iPhone manufacturing unit in India
The report states that workers returning homes after their night-shift resorted to violence over salary remittance. The grieved employees allege that they were hired at a higher wage than what was given to them.
“While an engineering graduate was promised Rs 21,000 per month, his/her salary had reduced to Rs 16,000 and, subsequently, to Rs 12,000 in the recent months. Non-engineering graduates’ monthly salary had reduced to Rs 8,000. The salary amount being credited to our accounts have been reducing and it was frustrating to see this,” an employee alleged.
On Friday night, the employees started discussing about their salaries on their floors and some alleged that they had received only low as as Rs 500 in their bank accounts.”
Videos of the employees’ rampage were shared on social media. Wistron has not yet commented on the situation.
Karnataka: #Violence at iPhone production plant run by Taiwan-based #Wistron Corp at Narasapura (in Kolar district) near #Bengaluru.
Employees allege they have not been paid properly. pic.twitter.com/GKbeFeyRKc
— TOI Bengaluru (@TOIBengaluru) December 12, 2020
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