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The first iPhones for Apple were assembled in India in 2021.
Apple is sending independent auditors to India to investigate the living and working conditions of the workers at the plant.
The facility in southern India is run by Apple partner Foxconn. Women working at the plant were forced to sleep on the floor in crowded dorms and share toilets with no running water, according to an investigation by the news agency. The plant was shut down on December 18th after 150 people were hospitalized due to an outbreak of food poisoning.
Apple says it put the plant on "probation", but it hasn't said what this means for the workers who assemble its phones. The plant is located west of Chennai and employs 17,000 people.
Following recent concerns, Apple dispatched independent auditors.
Apple dispatched independent auditors after recent concerns about food safety and accommodations at the Sriperumbudur facility. 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 quickly implemented.
According to the state government of Tamil Nadu, the company apologized for the poor conditions and agreed to upgrade its facilities. The company says it will be back to work soon.
The news shows how difficult it is for Apple to shift production of its gadgets out of China. According to reports in recent years, the iPhone-maker has urged suppliers to move production to other countries like India and Vietnam. Apple faces criticism at home for outsourcing manufacturing jobs, and in China for not complying with demands from the Communist Party regarding data access. Other parties have less leverage over Apple because of the shifting production out of China.
Apple has been criticized for its labor conditions. There have been worker suicides and sweatshop conditions that have come under scrutiny.
