It was only yesterday that we heard reports of workers in the Zhengzhou factory, one of major iPhone 5 producing units went on strike. Though, today Foxconn has given out a statement to Reuters denying the news as rumors and stated that the production of the iPhone 5’s is on schedule.
Although, Foxconn has admitted to a small dispute taking place in the factory, but the same is said to have happened a few days earlier and the issues sorted the same day itself. They have also added that there was no unscheduled stoppage and the production is underway as planned.
According to China Labour Watch, about four thousand workers mostly from the quality team went off the production line citing that Apple’s newly laid stringent production quality requirement was beyond them and that they would require additional training for the same.
After complaints of scars and blemishes on the new iPhone 5’s, Apple has passed a quality guideline wherein only 0.02mm appearance defect has to be allowed to go through. And the employees at the factory feel that it’s something very minute for the human eye and thus have complained of mental stress and the inability to sustain working by stringent quality requirement for long hours.
The tipping point was reached when the employees were not given the necessary training necessary to ensure the new standards are implemented. There are reports suggesting a skirmish between the line workers and the quality inspectors as well.
There is a high level of secrecy maintained and low media access allowed for us to confirm anything on this incident, but from what we have gathered from news agencies in China, the production lines are surely working.