Wistron Resumes iPhone Production at Violence-Hit India Factory

Apple supplier Wistron has reportedly restarted operations at its iPhone manufacturing facility in India, where workers caused widespread damage late last year over claims of unpaid wages.

Screen Shot
In a machine translation from Chinese-language paper United Daily News:

Indian media reported that the local Minister of Industry, Jagadish Shettar, stated that Wistron had resumed production at the factory in accordance with relevant licensing conditions. In the future, relevant departments will pay attention to labor issues and do not hope that similar incidents will happen again.

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.

According to today's report, Wistron's ‌iPhone‌ manufacturing team has cooperated with independent auditors and Wistron in the past three months to ensure that the plant has established the necessary systems required to resume production.

Apple said in February that workers at the plant would receive a new training program to ensure they understood their rights and how to raise questions. According to Wistron, all employees have now received full salaries and a new recruitment and salary system has been implemented to ensure that everyone gets the correct salary and provides the correct documentation.

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.

Tags: India, Wistron

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon Prime Day is currently in its second day, and this year the event will last for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon....

Top Rated Comments

1258186 Avatar
57 months ago
Hopefully they will treat their employees better this time.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1258186 Avatar
57 months ago
Apple should build and operate their own factories. They could be a model employer providing decent wages, education and healthcare. That would make a real difference to many people’s lives in a poor country like India.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
itsmeaustend Avatar
57 months ago

Quality assurance! Set up production in the cheapest country. Don't pay the workers. At Foxconn they tended to fall off the roof, but that's because they were underpaid. Here they don't get any rupees at all…

Much rice and curry but no money for wages.
In order to sell iPhones in India Apple MUST manufacture devices there. It's Indian law, nothing to do with cheap labor.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IIGS User Avatar
57 months ago

In American retail stores employees get shot by angry customers. Yes, your chances of being killed by a customer if you work in retail in the USA is higher than your chances of committing suicide at Foxconn at its worst times...
I call total BS on this statement. There are 9.8 MILLION people working in retail sales in the US (source USCB).

Among the top deadliest jobs in the US are Fishing hunting workers, Logging, Aircraft pilots, Roofers, Construction workers, Garbage men, and Farmers.

You're more likely to die falling off a roof or a deep sea crabbing boat than you are getting shot as a retail clerk.

Heck, retail doesn't even crack the top 25 of most dangerous jobs in the US. You're more likely to be hit by a car as a crossing guard than you are to be killed working at the Circle-K on a midnight shift.

The only job in the top 25 that involves non accidental death or injury is Police Officer at 22. The most common cause of death or injury there is by assault. And that is usually a non fatal assault. (Source US BLS).
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gnasher729 Avatar
57 months ago

Quality assurance! Set up production in the cheapest country. Don't pay the workers. At Foxconn they tended to fall off the roof, but that's because they were underpaid. Here they don't get any rupees at all…

Much rice and curry but no money for wages.
In American retail stores employees get shot by angry customers. Yes, your chances of being killed by a customer if you work in retail in the USA is higher than your chances of committing suicide at Foxconn at its worst times, which was quite some time ago. So before you complain about problems in China, you should have the look at violence in your own country. And I haven't seen any reports of Foxconn management kneeling on the necks of employees until they die from asphyxiation.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
08380728 Avatar
57 months ago
”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.”

Sugar coated reporting.

More like Winstron (like most companies) initially LIED, until found out...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)