One of Apple's biggest iPhone factories in China draws controversy after protests get the police involved.
The Foxconn Technology Group factory, located in Zhengzhou, China, has been hailed as the "iPhone city" for being able to produce about half of Apple's global supply of iPhones.
However, with the recent COVID outbreak in the factory, Apple may be facing a decline of 30% in the production of Apple products in November.
Additionally, since the ongoing COVID outbreak, the factory has been under fire for controversial headlines after several workers attempted to escape the factory due to the health precautions refraining employees from leaving the premises.
Apple iPhone Factory Workers Clash With Chinese Police After Protests
As management at the Foxconn factory struggles to contain the COVID-19 epidemic while maintaining production for the busiest holiday season, violent worker protests have broken out at the Zhengzhou iPhone factory.
According to the Financial Times, the protests broke out after management denied bonuses that were initially promised to the workers who were put into quarantine before being sent to work. However, things took a turn for the worse when the Chinese police got involved.
"Initially they just went into the plant seeking an explanation from executives, but they [the executives] didn't show their faces and instead called the police," One of the workers alleged.
Viral videos of iPhone factory workers in Zhengzhou are circulating on social media, showing staff members engaged in a violent clash with rows of armed police wearing white protection gear and batons. One video on Twitter shows police members beating up bleeding employees while others are limping away from the skirmishes.
Additionally, the violent altercations had caused the COVID safety precautions to get worse as some of the COVID-positive factory workers are getting mixed in with other employees.
Why Are Foxconn Factory Workers Protesting?
According to BBC, the factory workers have erupted in protest due to the management's mistreatment of employees amidst the strict COVID policies.
"They changed the contract so that we could not get the subsidy as they had promised. They quarantine us but don't provide food," said one factory worker during a live stream. "If they do not address our needs, we will keep fighting."
The strict COVID policy in China has made it extremely difficult to run Foxconn's Zhengzhou iPhone factory, which employs more than 200,000 workers in the suburbs of the capital.
Zhengzhou Covid Situation at Apple iPhone Factory
In March, Foxconn's Shenzhen, China, plant first saw emerging COVID-19 cases, causing a temporary suspension in Apple product production. Due to a COVID-19 outbreak in October, management started implementing strict safety precautions, which resulted in a poor production rate as many employees attempted to escape the facility and walked on foot toward their hometowns.
The production roadblock comes after Apple reported a decline in sales following the September release of the latest iPhone 14, possibly endangering the tech giant's Christmas season sales.
This article is owned by TechTimes
Written by: Andi C.
