iPhone plant workers in China beaten by police during revolt over COVID, pay

Workers at Foxconn's Zhengzhou, China factory have clashed with police while protesting strict COVID lockdowns and pay discrepancies.

Foxconn Technology Group, a company that assembles iPhones in China, has issued an apology after protesting employees were beaten by police outside one of their factories.

They have also said they will pay out 10,000 yuan ($1,867) to any worker who decides to quit.

Workers at the factory in Zhengzhou revolted this week, complaining that Foxconn changed the terms of wages offered to attract them to the roles. They also claimed that Foxconn had forced to share dormitories with colleagues who had tested positive for COVID-19.

Unrest is also spilling out into the general population in China, with many frustrated that the ruling Communist Party continues to push a “zero-COVID” strategy that often results in snap lockdowns that can last for weeks or months.

Although the ruling party recently promised to try to reduce disruptions by shortening quarantines, they continue their attempts to isolate every single case of the virus.

On Thursday, people in eight districts of Zhengzhou with a total of 6.6 million residents were told to stay home for five days. Daily mass testing was ordered for a “war of annihilation” against the virus.

Meanwhile, Apple Inc. is warning that it will ship fewer devices overseas in the coming weeks. Already, there have been reports of delays for the new iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. CNN reported last week that some U.S. businesses have been told their phones won’t arrive until the new year.

In Zhengzhou, many of Foxconn’s newest employees travelled long distances to take jobs at the factory after Foxconn offered higher pay, reports The Associated Press.