Workers reportedly went on the rampage at an iPhone production plant in India on Sunday and caused widespread damage to the Wistron-run factory over claims of unpaid wages.
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Video posted on social media showed smashed CCTV cameras and glass panels, broken lights and upturned vehicles at Wistron's manufacturing facility in Bangalore. According to the Times of India, many of the 2,000 employees leaving at the end of their Friday-night shift were involved in the violence.
Disgruntled staff claimed that they have not been fully paid for four months and are being forced to do extra shifts. One worker alleged an engineering graduate was promised Rs 21,000 ($285) per month, but instead they initially got Rs 16,000 ($217), which had been reduced down to Rs 12,000 ($163) in the last three months. Non-engineering graduates' monthly salary was said to have been reduced to Rs 8,000 ($108).
According to a worker who spoke to the Times, employees had started discussing their salaries and some alleged that they had received as low as Rs 500 ($7) in their bank accounts. The anger had turned into violence by the time the shift ended.
1/4 #Violence at @Apple #iPhone production plant run by Taiwan-based #Wistron Corp at Narasapura near #Bengaluru in India
Nearly 2,000 employees, alleged not been paid, went on a rampage destroying the company’s furniture, assembly units and even attempted to set fire to vehicles pic.twitter.com/qtlHyJiRAh — Crisbin Joseph Mathew (@CrisbinJoseph) December 12, 2020
According to BBC News, Apple partner Wistron told AFP news agency that "the incident was caused by people of unknown identities from outside who intruded into and damaged its facility with unclear intentions."
Wistron employs about 15,000 workers at the factory, according to local media, with most contracted via recruitment firms. Indian police reportedly arrested over 100 staff as a result of the rampage. Wistron said it would resume operations as soon as possible.
Bangalore is the capital of southern Karnataka state and is India's technology hub.
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Top Rated Comments
Being paid a (comparatively) low wage isn’t necessarily exploitation. Their compensation is probably fair to above average for that part of the world. The fact that they haven’t been paid however...that’s a problem.I wonder what the real price of the iPhone would be if someone, somewhere down the production or supply chain wasn't being exploited?
Each one is entirely believable tbh.Many versions are floating around
* Wistron did not pay wages to workers
* Wistron paid the money to their contractors but contractors did not pay their workers
* China sponsored this vandalism using some goons and actual workers were not involved in damage to property. China does not want India to take away their business.
So which one is it?
* Wistron did not pay wages to workers
* Wistron paid the money to their contractors but contractors did not pay their workers
* China sponsored this vandalism using some goons and actual workers were not involved in damage to property. China does not want India to take away their business.
* Wistron is exaggerating damages to make insurance company cough up more money.
So which one is it?
And not surprising if the issues are from the Taiwanese company itself. Some Taiwanese companies/executives are simply jerks.