Disgruntled employees at a plant belonging to Taiwan-based Wintek, a leading supplier of touchscreen panels for a number of devices, including the iPhone, have gone on strike, disputing working conditions and pay. According to China Daily, more than 2,000 workers gathered at the Suzhou, China plant on Friday, smashing vehicles and factory facilities while protesting harsh working conditions, spurred on by a rumor that the company was not going to pay out an expected year-end bonus from 2009. The workers claim that at least four people have died from long-term exposure to hexane, a toxic chemical workers had been asked to during the cleaning of touchscreen panels. “The truth has been hidden from public view. There are people dying from long-term exposure to the toxicant used in the factory but no one is paying attention to that. There needs to be further investigation,” a worker named Zhu told China Daily. Local authorities claim that there have been no deaths reported, and 47 people who showed signs of hexane exposure had received proper treatment; the company says it will be distributing the bonuses over the coming month. It is unclear what, if any, affect the strike might have on iPhone supplies.
Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.