A riot broke out at the Wistron factory near Bengaluru in southern India (Photo = Yonhap News).-Thousands of workers at the iPhone manufacturing plant in southern India were dissatisfied with overdue wages and treatment and rioted.
According to Reuters and The Hindu, on the morning of the 12th (local time), thousands of workers rioted at the Wistron Infocom plant near Bengaluru, an information technology center in southern India.
Workers wielding iron bars, etc., damaged production facilities and security cameras and lamps in the factory, and some set vehicles on fire.
In addition, some workers reportedly stole smartphones and laptops.
Wistron estimates that over 5,000 workers destroyed their property and suffered 4.37 billion rupees (about 64 billion won).
The police arrested 149 people on charges of violence in the protests that day, and as the investigation proceeded, the police said they were searching to arrest more perpetrators.
The Wistron Infocom plant is an Indian subsidiary of Wistron, Taiwan, which is a major assembly company for mobile phone iPhones, and has been producing iPhone SE locally since 2017.
Workers exiting the Wistron factory near Bengaluru in southern India (Photo = Yonhap News)-Reuters reported that the workers’ violence that day was due to unpaid wages and complaints about treatment.
MD Harigobind, the union leader, said the violence was “a direct result of the brutal exploitation of workers and poor working conditions.”
Regarding this, Winstron said, “An unidentified outsider entered and damaged the facility with unclear intentions,” and said that it will follow local laws and regulations to resume operations as soon as possible.
Apple, the iPhone maker, said, however, that it has launched an investigation into whether Wistron adheres to supplier guidelines.
“We have dispatched employees and accountants to the scene and are cooperating with police investigations,” said Apple via e-mail. “We are working hard to ensure that everyone in the supply chain is treated with respect.”
In this regard, the Karnataka provincial government, which Bengaluru belongs to, also announced that it is investigating the existence of arrears.
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