Apple suffered from minor issues when its iPhone assembly partner Wistron did not pay its Bangalore plant workers on time. Angered by lack of wages and low wages in some cases while being forced to work overtime, the workers took to violence. The Wistron plant at Bangalore saw around 2,000 workers turn cars upside down, break glass panes, and steal iPhones.
The issue is being investigated thoroughly by the police and Apple is also investigating the matter on its own. Wistron fired its top level official as a result of the violence outpour and has promised to improve matters. The manufacturer has also begun working on setting up help centers in all major languages that workers can visit in case of any problems.
Major partners already at work
The situation appears to be improving as Apple has reportedly already begun increasing domestic manufacturing in India, reports ET Now Digital. It has been reported that major Apple manufacturing partners are already working on having their operations in India. The partners include printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer Avary Holding and AT&S, iPad manufacturer BYD Electronics, AirPods manufacturer Luxshare Precision Industry, Mac manufacturer Quanta Computer.
Countries like India and Vietnam are turning out to be major alternatives to China for manufacturing and assembling tech products. The coronavirus outbreak has shaken the tech industry as the majority of the companies rely solely on China for most of the production.
Wistron can continue to resume its manufacturing operations but will not be allowed to start any new businesses until it corrects all the wrongs.
“We have placed Wistron on probation and they will not receive any new business from Apple before they complete corrective actions. Apple employees, along with independent auditors, will monitor their progress. Our main objective is to make sure all the workers are treated with dignity and respect, and fully compensated promptly,” said Apple.