One of Apple's suppliers in India Wistron resumed operations at its Narasapura facility in Karnataka on March 8, 2021. The factory had been shut since December 12 due to wage-related issues.
“Due to wage-related issues that occurred in December, many employees were left staring at a bleak future. We don't want a repeat of such incidents. Henceforth, bring this to the notice of the local district administration and find a middle path to resolve the issues,” Jagadish Shettar, Large and Medium Industries Minister, Karnataka, said during the visit to the Wistron facility.
During the visit, Shettar also stressed that no issues can be resolved due to violence and asked the workers to find an amicable solution with the management and the district officials.
Last month, Apple said Wistron will restart operations, though it would continue to be on probation. "As Wistron begins the process of hiring team members and restarting their operations, everyone at the facility will undergo a new training program to ensure they understand their rights and how they can raise any concerns," Apple had said.
Earlier, Apple had placed Wistrom on probation, after it found that the Taiwanese manufacturer violated its supplier code of conduct at its facility in India.
On its part, Wistron removed its Vice-President in-charge of India and had admitted to lapses in paying its workers here, after workers went on a rampage at its factory near Bengaluru, causing damage worth millions of dollars. While Vincent Lee was moved out, its India MD for Wistron Smart Devices, Sudipto Gupta is currently at the helm.
Wistrom committed Rs 2,850 crore in the Kolar plant, and its investments include manufacturing beyond smartphones to IoT products and biotech devices. Apple's other suppliers in India include Foxconn and Pegatron.
