Apple Supplier Wistron 'Working Hard' to Raise Standards at Violence-Hit India Factory [Updated]

Apple supplier Wistron said it plans to restart operations at its iPhone manufacturing facility in India, where workers caused widespread damage late last year over claims of unpaid wages.

In a statement given to Reuters, the Taiwanese company said it was working hard to raise standards and fix issues at the plant in Karnataka's Kolar district.

"We are looking forward to restarting our operations and welcoming back team members and we thank them for their patience and support as we worked through corrective actions,” Wistron said.

In December 2020, disgruntled staff went on a rampage at the plant, upturning cars and destroying equipment and furniture.

Wistron initially claimed that the incident was caused by people of unknown identities from outside who intruded into and damaged its facility with unclear intentions.

However, local media reported that many of the 2,000 employees were involved in the violence, with many claiming that they had not been fully paid for four months and were being forced to do extra shifts.

Following the unrest, Apple placed Wistron on probation while it conducted an audit, which found that the plant showed violations of its "Supplier Code of Conduct."

According to Apple, Wistron had failed to implement proper working hour management processes, which "led to payment delays for some workers in October and November."

The plant was set to hire up to 20,000 more workers to manufacture more iPhone SE devices, but the plan was put on ice and Apple said it would not award Wistron any new business until it addressed how its workers are treated.

The Apple probation has delayed the tech company's manufacturing push into India, where it has pledged to invest $1 billion dollars as it seeks to diversify its global supply chains.

Update: Regarding the restarting of operations at the Wistron plant, Apple has released the following statement (via Reuters):

"For the past eight weeks, teams across Apple, along with independent auditors, have been working with Wistron to make sure the necessary systems and processes are in place at their Narasapura facility," Apple said in a statement.

"Wistron remains on probation and we will monitor their progress closely."

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