Apple has put a factory in southern India on watch after worker protests and the discovery of substandard living conditions.
The factory in Sriperumbudur, which assembled the iPhone 12 models, has been shut down until necessary improvements are made. An Apple spokesman told the news agency.
We dispatched auditors after recent concerns about food safety. Some of the remote dormitory accommodations and dining rooms being used for employees do not meet our requirements and we are working with the supplier to ensure a comprehensive set of corrective actions are implemented quickly.
The factory was shut down after 150 employees were admitted to the hospital with food poisoning. Apple says that the Sriperumbudur facility will remain on its watch until it is satisfied that its standards have been met.
In a statement, Foxconn apologized for the issue its employees experienced and said it was taking immediate steps to enhance the facilities and services it provides. All employees will be paid during the downtime as the manufacturer restructures its management team in India.
Expansion of living areas, upgraded bathing facilities, and available drinking water are some of the improvements that will be made. When the plant will reopen is not known.
Apple was suspended in India for the second time in a year. Apple put a Wistron factory in India on abeyance in December of 2020 after workers there went on a rampage over not being paid their wages. The facility resumed production in March 2021.
Apple's manufacturing push into India was delayed because of Wistron's suspension. The Sriperumbudur factory was supposed to begin production of the iPhone 13 in February, but the status of these plans is unclear.
