Key Apple supplier Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) pointed to an error in its payments system for starting unrest among staff who complained of overdue pay and working conditions, thus sparking fights between employees and security personnel.
Multiple media sources reported unrest at the largest iPhone factory in the city of Zhengzhou where hundreds protested and faced violence from law enforcement.
A worker speaking to the BBC said the situation has now been resolved.
Workers began leaving their live-in dormitories after rising covid cases forced factory shutdowns. The company then hired new recruits with bonus incentives which were not met.
Another worker told the news publication employees were quarantined without providing food and promises of subsidies were not fulfilled.
Hon Hai Technology said in a statement a “technical error occurred during the onboarding process", adding that the pay for new recruits was as agreed in the recruitment advertisement. The company is actively working to resolve “reasonable demands of employees”, reported the BBC.
A worker told the BBC he had been paid and was set to receive another instalment, adding there were no more protesters and staff were heading back to work.
In a statement posted yesterday (Nov 23), Hon Hai denied it forced staff to stay in dormitories with those that have tested positive for Covid-19, and rooms are sanitised before new teams were moved in.
On the violence towards staff, the company stated it will “continue to communicate with employees and the government to prevent similar incidents from happening again.”
