Apple is investigating a factory in India for deplorable living and working conditions

Apple decided to send independent inspectors to investigate an iPhone assembly plant in India after poor working conditions and poor living conditions at the complex prompted workers to go on strike.

Apple investigates factory in India

This center in southern India has always been managed by Apple’s partner, Foxconn. A Reuters investigation found that the women working at the factory did so under extremely difficult conditions, forced to sleep on the floors in overcrowded dormitories and having to share toilets without even running water.

Recently, food poisoning had even resulted in the hospitalization of 150 people, which had motivated the employees to go on strike and to close the factory on December 18.

In response, Apple said it had placed the plant in a “probation” period (without explaining what that meant for Foxconn and the workers who assemble iPhones). The factory employs around 17,000 people, and is located about 40 km west of Chennai.

for deplorable living and working conditions

An Apple spokesperson told BBC News:

“Following recent fears over the quality of food and living conditions at Foxconn Sriperumbudur, we have dispatched independent inspectors. We have discovered that some of the remote dormitories and dining rooms used by employees do not meet our standards and we are working with the supplier to get action taken quickly.”

Foxconn has apologized for these living and working conditions and, as reported by the local government of Tamil Nadu, has agreed to make changes to the complex – expanding living spaces, improving sanitation, hooking up in potable water -. The company explains that it will restart the activity of the factory soon.

This news illustrates Apple’s difficulties since the giant decided to relocate its production outside of China. According to several reports in recent years, the iPhone maker is urging its suppliers, including Taiwan-based Foxconn, to relocate their production to other countries like India and Vietnam.

It follows criticism from Apple in the United States that the apple brand is manufacturing overseas and pressure in China to respond to Communist Party demands for censorship and data access. Having production carried out outside of China leaves the other parties less freedom on Apple.

The Cupertino company has often been singled out for the working conditions in the factories of its devices. Foxconn factories, in particular, have come under scrutiny in recent years.

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