Karnataka iPhone plant vandalised by employees over salary dues

Photo used for representational purpose

An iPhone manufacturing plant run by Taiwanese tech giant Wistron Corporation at Narsapura came under attack on Saturday from its employees over salary dues, the police said.

The iPhone plant established at 43 acres at Narasapura industrial area in Kolar that is around 60 km from Bengaluru. Wistron was allocated 43 acres at Narasapura industrial area from the state government after it proposed to invest around Rs 2,900 crore and assurance to give employment to over 10,000 people.

The Narasapura facility is being used to manufacture Apple's smartphone iPhoneSE, Internet of Things (IOT) products and biotech devices.

A majority of the nearly 2,000 employees, who were exiting the facility after completing their night shift, went on a rampage destroying furniture, assembly units and even attempted to set fire to vehicles.

Kolar district Deputy Commissioner of, C. Satyabhama confirmed to IANS that a section of angry employees went on rampage over salary dues. "The company is all likely to file formal complaints with the district police soon and police action will follow soon," she said without elaborating much.

Senior police officers along with additional personnel from Kolar district have rushed to the spot.

In the videos that were shot by a few fellow employees during the arson, those leading the mobs were seen breaking glass panes and doors, turning cars upside down and attacking the offices of senior executives.

Though Wistron is yet to comment on the violence, police sources said that the employee unrest was triggered by salary remittances promised to them.

Meanwhile sources in the police department told IANS that employees working this plant were angry that the company was not paying the amount that was promised to them at the time of joining.

"While an engineering graduate was promised Rs 21,000 per month, his/her salary had reduced to Rs 16,000 after the prolonged lockdown and subsequently citing the pandemic as reason it was slashed to Rs 12,000 further in the recent months. While non-engineering graduates' monthly salary was reduced to around Rs 8,000 from around Rs 15,000. The salary amount being credited to their accounts had been reducing and this seem to have triggered the unrest at least our prima facie investigations suggest that," the police said.

The police is yet to register a case but investigations are on.

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