Foxconn worker riot leads to arrests, damage in Chengdu

Factory workers at Foxconn.

/ Getty Images

(CNET) Workers at Foxconn's Chengdu factory started a riot on Monday, according to reports.

According to Hong Kong-based newspaper, Ming Pao (Translate), several workers on Monday clashed with security staff at their off-site dormitory. Not long after, the issue escalated, and over 1,000 people rioted around the dormitory, according to reports. The rioters reportedly ignited firecrackers and threw a host of objects, damaging facilities.

Soon after the riot started, security staff alerted local police, which sent out officers to quell the unrest. The police presence resulted in dozens of arrests, according to reports out of the country.

Foxconn earlier this week issued a statement on the matter, telling PC Magazine that the incident occurred off-site at a dormitory owned by third-party companies.

"We were informed by local law enforcement authorities that late Monday night, several employees of our facility in Chengdu had a disagreement with the owner of a restaurant located in that city," Foxconn told PC Magazine. "We were also informed that the employees subsequently returned to their off-campus residence, owned and managed by third-party companies, at which time a number of other residents also became involved in the disagreement and local police were called to the scene to restore order.

"Foxconn is cooperating with local law enforcement authorities on their investigation into this incident," the company said.

Ming Pao is reporting that the workers were also upset with their pay, though Foxconn has not said that's the case.

Foxconn has come under close scrutiny over the last few years over its treatment of workers across its facilities. In January, Apple requested the Fair Labor Association (FLA) audit Foxconn to ensure it was adhering to proper worker treatment. That audit resulted in the FLA finding Foxconn's workers engaged in excessive overtime and were paid too little. Foxconn agreed to reduce work hours and improve conditions following the audit.

Foxconn did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.

This story first appeared at CNET.

14 Photos

Inside Foxconn, where Apple iPads, iPhones are made

[sjc_1]

When Apple wanted new glass installed on their iPhones and the glass came in at 2 a.m. the workers were awakened in their dorms, given a cup of tea and sent to the production lines.

How many American workers do you know would live in a company dorm and do this? Yet the yuppies buy iPhones by the millions without giving any of this a second thought.

It is the us and them two Americas. When you go into a store or fast food place and see someone in their thirties working, do you wonder if they aspired to be a fast food worker when they were 10 years old? Probably not, people take it for granted those people will be there, but they do not want their sons nor daughters to be one of them...no empathy.

[Fed-Up_Patriot]

CBS News needs to provide more information about all of the players in this.. Evidently the employees have a grievance although I do not approve of their tactics. The employees seem to associate the owners of an on site restaurant their lodging arrangements and Foxconn itself. Is this because fundamentally all 3 are owned and/or controlled/operated by the very same business interest.. just operating under different business names? Don't just take Foxconn's word for it as the truth find out. I think I already saw a report already on this - that indicated their housing was company controlled. So this may be no different then working in a situation where the company owns your home, your job, and the company store. It also could quite simply be a low cost contract arrangement to provide housing and food to these employees - and this this company takes short-cuts - skimping on food portion sizes and services provided.

Often times over their the police work for the factory owner's interest. Corruption money over there is well known to subvert worker's rights... This is similar to some unfortunate incidents in our own US history of 100 years ago. At least the police shut the riots down without anybody dying. Without knowing more I cannot say I approve or disapprove of the police action on this. Probably what will happen is through police interrogation the employees at the center of dispute will be found out and terminated.