TAIPEI (Reuters) – Foxconn, Apple’s main iPhone assembler in China, said on Thursday that a “technical error” had occurred when recruiting new employees at its Zhengzhou plant and apologized to workers.
Men with batons smashed CCTV cameras and windows at the sprawling Foxconn campus in Zhengzhou on Wednesday. Scenes of dissent sparked by mounting frustration over ultra-tough measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 and reports that salaries had not been paid when due.
Workers said on social media that they had been told Foxconn was planning to delay bonus payments. Others have complained about being forced to share dormitories with colleagues who tested positive for COVID-19.
“Our team reviewed the matter and realized that a technical error occurred during the hiring process,” Foxconn wrote in a statement, referring to the hiring of new employees.
“We apologize for this error in the computer system and we guarantee that the salary paid will be the same as that agreed.”
Larger protests had ceased on Thursday and the company was in discussions with employees attending smaller rallies, a Foxconn source familiar with the situation told Reuters.
According to this source, Foxconn has reached “preliminary agreements” with the workers in order to resolve the dispute and ensure that production continues on Thursday.
Apple said it has employees on site and the company is “working closely with Foxconn to ensure workers’ concerns are addressed.”
Restrictions and discontent affected production. Last month, Reuters reported that iPhone production at the Zhengzhou plant could drop 30% in November.
(Report Yimou Lee; French version Camille Raynaud)
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