Apple puts Wistron on probation after violence at India plant
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Apple said Wistron will not receive any new business from Apple before they complete corrective actions
Bengaluru: Apple on Saturday placed the Taiwanese tech giant on probation after finding that the company failed to implement proper working hour management processes, One week after violence broke out at Wistron Corporation's plant near Bangaluru, where iPhones and other IT products are manufactured,
Apple said Wistron will not receive any new business from Apple before they complete corrective actions.
In a statement the company said that "Apple employees and independent auditors hired by Apple have been working around the clock to investigate the issues which occurred at Wistron's Narasapura facility,"
"While these investigations are ongoing, our preliminary findings indicate violations of our Supplier Code of Conduct by failing to implement proper working hour management processes," said the statement.
Violence broke out at the Wistron's Narasapura facility as a large number of workers went on a rampage last Saturday over issues related to payment of salary.
Wistron on Saturday admitted mistakes and apologised to all workers and also said that it will remove the Vice President who oversees the company's business in India.
"Since the unfortunate events at our Narasapura facility we have been investigating and have found that some workers were not paid correctly, or on time. We deeply regret this and apologize to all of our workers," Wistron said.
"This is a new facility and we recognise that we made mistakes as we expanded. Some of the processes we put in place to manage labour agencies and payments need to be strengthened and upgraded," it added.
Meanwhile, All India Central Council for Trade Unions (AACCTU) have prepared a fact-finding report on the violence occured at iPhone manufacturing unit in Kolar. The report alleged that severe injustice and exploitation led the labours for the eruption of violence.
The report prepared on the basis of the information that was collected directly from the workers, cited heavy workload and stagnant salaries as reason for the violence. The report says that the bworkers protested to demand their right to overtime pay and their salary but the company refused their requests.
Most of the workers are from lower-caste communities in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. The company authorities have informed them that they need to return until further notice.
AICCTU said that the government should take immediate action on their employment issues.
(With inputs from IANS)
