Apple’s iPhone factory workers are revolting — Updated

Some serious staffing issues have broken out

Trouble at the iPhone factory has been a consistent theme for Cupertino, ever since working conditions then endured by staff were first exposed. Now it seems Apple partner Foxconn’s iPhone workers are revolting, at least, they are in China.

Anger on the factory floor

Shock footage has emerged of clashes between angry workers and security personnel at the largest iPhone manufacturing plant in China.

What sparked the protest was the influx of new workers.

As has been widely reported, many have quit their jobs in recent weeks. Foxconn has hired new workers to take their place, but existing employees had expected these incomers to be accommodated separately to avoid new hires bringing Covid into the factory, which has been locked down for weeks.

This didn’t happen, and the people who were already on site are annoyed as this exposes them to an infection they’ve spent weeks locked down to avoid.

They just don’t think management is doing enough to prevent COVID-19 infection, and are also angry about unpaid wages. And, of course, have grown sick of being kept on site under tough Coronavirus restrictions, a sacrifice which could be undermined by the new staff intake.

1/2 Latest from #Foxconn in #iPhone city in #Zhengzhou: Newly recruited workers fiercely fight with security guards as they try to storm out of the factory.
Reason: Foxconn tried to recruit about 100K new workers after a lot escaped a while ago. New workers were told they would pic.twitter.com/XsVzVT7N7r

— Inconvenient Truths by Jennifer Zeng 曾錚真言 (@jenniferzeng97) November 22, 2022

The riots began Wednesday as workers emerged from their dormitories and attempted to push past security.

Numerous videos have appeared on social media showing various altercations, with missiles thrown at security and tear gas sprayed on the staff. Several workers have been injured, police called in and video shows protestors being beaten.

<Update>

This seems to be a fast-moving situation. This morning Foxconn has begun offering new employees cash to quit their new jobs. This is after the Chinese authorities encouraged old soldiers to sign up to assist in the iPhone effort. There appears to be big trouble here.

Second Update

Hon Hai/Foxconn has issued a statement on the matter, as below:

• On the evening of November 22, some new hires to the Zhengzhou Park campus appealed to the company regarding the work allowance, which they had doubts about. The company has emphasized that the allowance has always been fulfilled based on contractual obligation and will continue to communicate with relevant colleagues.
• Foxconn clarifies that online speculation of employees who are Covid positive living in the dormitories of the Zhengzhou Park campus is patently untrue. Before new hires move in, the dormitory environment undergoes standard procedures for disinfection, and it is only after the premise passes government check, that new employees are allowed to move in.
• Regarding any violence, the company will continue to communicate with employees and the government to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

How not to run a business?

This sure seems a strange way to motivate people to success, but perhaps in the post-Musk universe this kind of treatment is all workers can expect.

Apple is currently in the process of shifting at least some of this production to India, where one of its factories was recently closed for months following a food poisoning incident.

Apple, meanwhile, has already warned that Covid-related production problems mean that it is unlikely to meet demand for new iPhone this critical quarter.

Apple’s ops teams probably didn’t need this fresh nightmare this Thanksgiving.

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