Apple’s supply chain in Asia has been hit by worker unrest after staff at the iPhone maker’s contractors in India and China protested over unpaid wages and bonuses.
The US tech group said it would suspend new business with Wistron after discovering that the Taiwanese manufacturer had violated its supplier policies by delaying payments to workers at a factory that makes iPhones near Bangalore in southern India.
A demonstration on December 12 at the plant, viewed as a leading example of India’s efforts to boost local tech manufacturing, escalated into rioting. Protesters smashed and set fire to property, resulting in damage costing an estimated $7m, while police made dozens of arrests.