Riot Shuts Down Foxconn Plant, Impact on iPhone 5 Production Unclear

[MacRumors]

Reuters reports on a riot that broke out earlier today at Foxconn's facilities in Taiyuan, China, forcing the company to temporarily shutter the plant as it cleans up the damage and investigates the situation. The cause of the riot, which reportedly involved about 2,000 workers, remains unclear, with the company claiming that it began as a personal dispute between workers while other sources have indicated that it stemmed from security guards beating workers for unspecified reasons.

It was not clear how long the shutdown would last at the plant, which employs about 79,000 people in the northern Chinese city of Taiyuan, while police and company officials investigate the cause of the disturbance. [...]

"The plant is closed today for investigation," Foxconn spokesman Louis Woo told Reuters. An employee contacted by telephone said the closure could last two or three days.

M.I.C. gadget shares a number of photos and videos from the scene, showing overturned vehicles, broken windows, and small fires.

The report also claims that an iPhone 5 production line was damaged in the riots, but that information does not appear to have been confirmed. As detailed in an undercover report from earlier this month, Foxconn's Taiyuan facility is involved in the production of the iPhone 5 black plate, and a multi-day shutdown at the plant could potentially have an impact on overall device production depending on existing supplies of the part in the assembly chain.

Update 11:12 AM: CNET reports that Foxconn has issued a statement saying that production at the closed facility will resume tomorrow and confirming that there were no deaths from the rioting. Reports have, however, indicated that at least 40 people were injured.

Article Link: Riot Shuts Down Foxconn Plant, Impact on iPhone 5 Production Unclear

 

[bbplayer5]

Time to start making stuff here.

 

[k995]

Repression, riots, people no doubt hurt whats the headline "Impact on iPhone 5 Production Unclear" How sad to see everything reduced just so people can have the latest toy a bit earlier.

 

[LimeiBook86]

I'm not really concerned about the supply chain (even if it's at all effected it would be minimal), but the cause of the riot is what I'm concerned about. Security guards beating workers? That's messed up.

 

[TheJae]

The government of China will make sure these people stay peaceful. No other institution can provide 79,000 jobs overnight.

 

[HarryKeogh]

Has anyone seen my red stapler?

 

[enzo thecat]

Time to start making stuff here.

Get ready for $5000 iphones!

 

[bigcat318]

Rabble! RABBLE RABBLE!

 

[ChristianVirtual]

Personnel dispute with 2000 people involved ? Sure ...
There is something more fundamental wrong ...

 

[jrswizzle]

Seriously....

I'd love to see Apple spend some of their $100B+ on bringing their manufacturing back to the US. Of course then they'd have to pay US taxes on that money....

Still, American company - and most valuable in the world - would be awesome to have their products (if not fully) at least mostly made in the USA.

 

[chriscrk]

I just hope those pictures weren't taken with the iPhone 5! If not I may reconsider buying it...

 

[caligomez]

I'm not surprised that a riot broke out.. with tensions so high and all. It can't be easy on any of the workers in that plant, as the pressure from the entire world is coming down on them..

 

[Bubba Satori]

Can't they just throw suicide nets over them and chain them back to their work areas?

 

[Old Muley]

People in general seem to forget that Foxconn makes a lot more than just Apple products. To draw a connection that Foxconn = Apple is misleading at best.

 

[toshmac]

glad i got mine

 

[mossme89]

Crazy. Hope everything gets straightened out.

 

[Ciclismo]

Power to the People!

Some reports I've read suggest that the plant in question has a reputation for treating employees poorly (mandatory over-time etc.), and that the alleged assault on an employee by security staff was the final straw.

 

[jrswizzle]

People in general seem to forget that Foxconn makes a lot more than just Apple products. To draw a connection that Foxconn = Apple is misleading at best.

Very true - I'm guilty of that. Immediately thought Apple when in reality they make tons of other products - Microsoft products among them.

 

[flopticalcube]

My conscience is clear. My ancient Nokia cell phone was made by virgin Finnish girls at the foothills of Valhalla. It says so right here.... WTF? Thailand?!?! Oh well...

 

[Ice-Cube]

More riots will probably start if people know their iPhone shipment is gonna be delayed cos of this.

 

[hkenneth]

Seriously....

I'd love to see Apple spend some of their $100B+ on bringing their manufacturing back to the US. Of course then they'd have to pay US taxes on that money....

Still, American company - and most valuable in the world - would be awesome to have their products (if not fully) at least mostly made in the USA.

Then will you buy an iPhone or iPad that sells 6 times of the current price?

 

[HiRez]

They make the iPhone 5 backplate eh? Maybe this was all set up by Apple as a cover story while they reformulate the backplate to be more scratch resistant. I'm picturing Apple ninjas coming down ropes from helicopters in the middle of the night with crowbars and molotov cocktails, wreaking havoc, and then pulling out before dawn.

Seriously, I hope no one was injured though.

 

[q64ceo]

Not a shocker.

Frankly I am quite unnerved that they dont do this more oft. These workers should strike every once in a while and force their uppers to give better pay and better working conditions.

 

[Mums]

It seems like the ***** is hitting the fan everywhere!

 

[Yixian]

Maybe Apple should use some of it's $100bn to PAY IT'S GODDAMN WORKERS.