Chinese state media and an overseas labor watch group said Foxconn workers halted iPhone production lines on Friday. - china.org.cn
Foxconn is the world’s largest maker of computer components and a major supplier for Apple. On Friday, at a manufacturing plant for the Apple iPhone 5, a report came to light that stated there were internal conflicts over the manufacturing process of the latest popular hand-held device. Conflicts that point to repressive work conditions and unrealistic quality control standard imposed either by Apple, Foxconn or both. The conflicts have also led to various interruptions in Apple iPhone production.
According to the AP, “Foxconn Technology Group denied on Saturday that production was affected at a Chinese factory that makes Apple’s iPhones.” A spokesman denied that there was any incident of a strike and said there was only a dispute between workers and QA inspectors. On the other hand, in a separate report from china.org.cn, “Both state media and an overseas labor watch group said some workers halted production lines on Friday, apparently over higher quality control standards,” and that approximately4,000 Foxconn employees walked off the job.
Now that the smoke has cleared and more facts have emerged, the information now available points to pressure and demands from above (either Apple, Foxconn or both) as the catalyst for the issues.
An issue that seems to still be unresolved: According to china.org.cn, more than 100 quality inspectors refused to go to work after one of inspector was allegedly assaulted by some workers the day before.
Workers were not happy with the new inspection standards: Many workers say the new iPhone 5 inspection standards are too rigorous, and it‘s difficult for them to adapt to the new requirements. The situation is so intolerable that it’s leading to internal conflicts between inspectors and the workers.
In a separate incident last month, Foxconn had another internal skirmish involving approximately 2,000 workers at a northern Taiyaun factory. Production was disrupted for an entire day.
Labor activists are saying that the iPhone 5 roll-out “has led to even longer working hours and increased pressure on workers.”
This report brings to mind some questions that really need to be answered, and the first would be this: Foxconn is the world’s largest maker of computer components and a major supplier for Apple. They employ nearly 1 million people, and 100,000 people at the particular plant in which this most recent issue took place.Is Apple asking for QA requirements to be met that are above and beyond what even workers at the world’s largest computer-components maker of find difficult to meet? If so, why? We look forward to your feedback!