Protests in China: After violent protests erupted over salaries and conditions at its vast iPhone factory in central China, Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn on Thursday apologised for a "technical error" in its payment systems.
According to reports, hundreds of workers marched in Zhengzhou, the largest smartphone producer in the world, some of whom got into altercations with riot police and workers wearing hazmat suits.
A worker claimed that the clashes broke out after employees who signed an agreement with the factory to work at least 30 days in return for a one-time payment of 3,000 yuan (USD 420) suddenly saw the figure reduced to just 30 yuan.
Foxconn releases statement
"We apologize for an input error in the computer system and guarantee that the actual pay is the same as agreed. Our team has been looking into the matter and discovered a technical error occurred during the onboarding process," Foxconn said in a statement.
In response to complaints about unsafe working conditions, thousands of employees at Foxconn, the largest contract manufacturer of smartphones and other electronics, left the facility in Zhengzhou last month, making it difficult for the company to fulfil orders for the iPhone 14.
China’s status as an export powerhouse is based on factories such as Foxconn’s that assemble the world’s consumer electronics, toys and other goods.
Foxconn offered higher pay to attract more workers to the Zhengzhou factory to assemble the iPhone 14, which sells starting at $799 in the United States.
On Tuesday, a protest erupted after employees who had travelled long distances to take jobs at the factory complained that the company changed the terms of their pay.
Protest in Zhengzhou
Notably, the protests in Zhengzhou come as the ruling Communist Party faces rising frustration about restrictions in areas across China that have closed shops and offices and confined millions of people to their homes.
It is pertinent to mention here that protests in Zhengzhou lasted through Wednesday morning as thousands of workers gathered outside dormitories and confronted factory security workers.
(With inputs from agencies)
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