Apple iPhone5 maker in China denies workers on strike

Apple parts maker Foxconn has denied that about 4,000 workers at its plant in China’s Zhengzhou city went on strike Friday. A worker, however, told a state-run Chinese daily that the company has been receiving complaints about the fragile phone shell and they were “reprimanded once every day before getting off from work”.

Foxconn said only some 200 workers were “absent intentionally”.

New York based China Labor Watch (CLW) released a report Saturday that 3,000 to 4,000 workers went on strike and that production was suspended for a day.

CLW founder Li Qiang told the Global Times that over 300 quality inspectors started the strike in the morning and around 4,000 workers participated in it. The strike ended after company authorities said they would deal with their requests.

CLW said the new rules included demands related to scratches on frames and back covers of the iPhone 5. Foxconn is a major component supplier.

“The company has been receiving complaints about the fragile phone shell and the strict demand was unlikely to be met. We were reprimanded once every day before getting off from work,” Global Times quoted a worker at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant as saying.

“Moreover, such strict standards were issued during the holiday for the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day and all workers for iPhone 5, excluding iPhone 4S, were working extra hours. The atmosphere here was weird and no one felt right,” he added.