Apple iPhone maker Foxconn is seeing a huge exodus of newly hired workers at its Zhengzhou plant in China. More than 20,000 workers have left the manufacturer just a day after violent protests at the facility. The protests in the city and the subsequent lockdown are already disrupting the production timeline of the producer. The mass departure is expected to worsen the situation.
A Reuters report claims that most of the workers leaving the manufacturer were new employees and had not yet started working on the production line. The company had earlier planned to resume full production by the end of November. Looking at Zhengzhou, it could also have a huge impact on Apple’s goals.
Read also: China shuts down the entire city where 70% of the world’s iPhones are made
On Wednesday, workers at the Zhengzhou Foxconn factory were seen protesting against the iPhone maker. The workers had several demands from the company, including pending payments and better working conditions. The protest had turned violent as workers with batons started breaking surveillance cameras and even vandalized some makeshift Covid-19 testing centres.
The Chinese government shut down the entire city a day after the protest. Factory protests were a contributing factor to the lockdown. The Chinese authorities decided to lock down the city and asked residents to stay at home and only go out if absolutely necessary.
Foxconn also apologized for the disturbance. The iPhone maker claimed that a ‘technical error’ in the company’s system led to the incomplete payment. The company assured the workers that they would be paid as promised when they were hired.
