Apple probes violence at iPhone plant in India over unpaid wages                               

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple. The company is investigating whether a Taiwan contractor, Wistron, flouted supplier guidelines at an iPhone manufacturing facility in India, after some workers ransacked the plant in a protest over unpaid wages.

Apple said it was investigating whether a Taiwan contractor, Wistron, flouted supplier guidelines at an iPhone manufacturing facility in India, after some workers ransacked the plant in a protest over unpaid wages.

Thousands of contract workers gathered on the grounds of the Wistron site on the outskirts of India’s tech hub of Bengaluru on Saturday demanding unpaid wages and better working hours.

As police arrived, the crowd turned violent and video from the scene showed people armed with rods and sticks smashing equipment and vandalising cars, causing what the company estimated at $60m (€49m) in damage.

“We have teams on the ground and have immediately launched a detailed investigation at Wistron’s Narasapura facility,” Apple said. It said it was dedicated to ensuring everyone in its supply chain was treated with dignity and respect.

Cooperating with police

Apple said it was sending staff and auditors to the site and was cooperating with police in their investigation.

Wistron, one of Apple’s top global suppliers, said in a regulatory filing in Taiwan it “always abides by the law, and fully supports and is cooperating with relevant authorities”.

Wistron has been making iPhones in India for nearly four years and its operation has been seen as a success story for prime minister Narendra Modi’s government that is looking to boost manufacturing. 

• Reuters