Workers at Apple supplier Flex's India plant stage one-day strike
16/02/2024 06:02
By Praveen Paramasivam
CHENNAI, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Hundreds of workers at a
manufacturing plant of Apple supplier Flex FLEX.O in India's
Tamil Nadu state staged a one-day strike on Friday, demanding
higher wages and the recognition of a union.
Many electronics manufacturers in India, including Foxconn
2317.TW and Pegatron 4938.TW , lack a union, while automobile
factories have higher levels of organising, according to labour
welfare workers.
At Flex, unhappy over wages and policies, including tour
allowances and medical leaves, all permanent workers, about 750,
joined the Centre of Indian Trade Union, said union secretary E.
Muthukumar.
He added Flex, which makes chargers for Apple, was unwilling
to recognise the union at the plant, which employs roughly 4,000
people, including contractors, who did not join the strike.
"As house rents, education fees and other expenses have
increased, it is not possible to sustain a livelihood with the
current salary," the union had informed Flex in a letter
reviewed by Reuters.
The workers requested wage raises for the next three years
but could not reach an amicable resolution, according to the
letter.
Flex did not respond to requests for comment.
Workers will return to the factory for the third and final
shift, Muthukumar said, adding the union will decide on the next
steps depending on the outcome of future negotiations.
As of March, Flex, which also manufactures products for
Apple in the U.S. and China, employed nearly 172,000 people
globally, including contractors.
It is unclear how much the strike affected production, even
as Indian laws prohibit the employment of contractors in core
activities in most circumstances.
This is the latest unrest at an Apple supplier in India in
recent years after food poisoning among workers triggered a
strike at Foxconn and workers at a Wistron 3231.TW plant
protested against alleged wage underpayment.
(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam in Chennai; Editing by Sohini
Goswami)
((Praveen.Paramasivam@thomsonreuters.com; +91 867-525-3569;))