Factory unrest a fresh headache for Apple-supplier Foxconn
Foxconn employees say tension between workers and security guards boiled over on Sunday after a worker was beaten
A brawl at a Foxconn factory that disrupted production at Apple’s main China supplier for 24 hours highlights regimented dormitory life and thuggish security as major sources of labour tension on the mainland.
While unrest often flares on the mainland as low-paid workers agitate for better pay and conditions, the conflict at Foxconn’s Taiyuan facility in northern China was notable for its scale and severity, even if not directly related to shop-floor conditions.
It marked a blow to Apple’s top supplier as it ramps up production to meet orders for the iPhone 5 and seeks to rehabilitate its image after a labour audit this year found flaws.
Details of the melee remain sketchy as police and company officials investigate, but employees said tension between workers and security guards boiled over on Sunday evening after a worker was severely beaten.
That led to thousands joining in and about 40 people were injured, according to Foxconn and local media.
The movement of workers from other Foxconn plants to Taiyuan may have contributed to friction between groups of labourers facing heavier workloads and crowded dormitories as production intensified to meet Apple targets, rights groups and workers said.