Apple partner Wistron’s India iPhone plant trashed as workers protest pay

A factory in India that assembles iPhones has been trashed by workers protesting unfair pay as Apple launches a probe into conditions at the factory.

People exit from the gate of Wistron, a Taiwanese-run iPhone factory at Narsapura, about 60 km from Bangalore on December 13, 2020. - Authorities vowed to crack down on workers who went on a violent rampage at a Taiwanese-run iPhone factory in southern India over allegations of unpaid wages and exploitation, with 100 people arrested so far. (Photo by Manjunath Kiran / AFP)

Enraged workers reportedly caused millions of dollars in damage at an Apple supplier’s factory in India where they protested poor labour conditions over the weekend.

Thousands of contract workers showed up at the iPhone factory run by Taiwan-based manufacturer Wistron to demand unpaid wages and better hours.

The demonstration turned violent after police arrived, with workers smashing windows, vandalising cars and setting at least one fire, according to videos from the scene.

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The mobile phone video clip showed the angry factory workers at the Wistron Corporation plant in Bangalore, India, smashing windows and CCTV cameras and overturning and setting fire to cars in a dispute over alleged non-payment of wages. Picture: Mediadrumimages

The mobile phone video clip showed the angry factory workers who are in a dispute over alleged non-payment of wages. Picture: Mediadrumimages

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Wistron alleged in a police report that the demonstrators stole laptops and smartphones, smashed cars and golf carts and destroyed other office equipment.

Indian police arrested more than 100 of the workers, who allege that they have gone four months without full pay while being forced to pull extra shifts, the BBC reported.

In a statement to Taiwan’s stock exchange, Wistron estimated that the protesters caused up to $US7.1 million in damages ($A9.4 million) at the site despite initially telling police that the price tag was as large as $60 million ($A79 million).

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Authorities vowed to crack down on workers who protested after allegations of unpaid wages and exploitation, with 100 people arrested so far. Picture: Manjunath Kiran / AFP

It turned out that the factory’s warehouses and major production facilities had not been damaged as badly as local media had reported, the company said, adding that it was working to get the plant up and running again.

“The company has co-operated with the relevant authorities and the police investigation and continues to negotiate with the insurance company,” Wistron said.

The logo of Wistron, a Taiwanese-run iPhone factory where workers protested and that Apple is now probing. Picture: Manjunath Kiran / AFP

The protest prompted Apple to launch its own probe of whether Wistron violated supplier guidelines at the factory on the outskirts of Bengaluru, India’s tech hub.

The Silicon Valley titan said Monday that it was dispatching staffers and auditors to the site while co-operating with the police investigation.

“We have teams on the ground and have immediately launched a detailed investigation at Wistron’s Narasapura facility,” the company told Reuters.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.