Hundreds of employees at a manufacturing facility in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, operated by Flex, a prominent Apple supplier, held a one-day strike on Friday, the media has reported. Their demands include increased wages for the upcoming three years and the formal recognition of a union. It is pertinent to note that several big electronics manufacturers in India, such as iPhone supplier Foxconn and Pegatron, do not have recognised unions, unlike automobile factories, which have a higher level of organisational structure, as stated by labour welfare workers, says a report by new agency Reuters.
At Flex, around 750 permanent workers have expressed dissatisfaction with wages and company policies, including concerns regarding tour allowances and medical leave. As reported by union secretary E. Muthukumar, these workers have joined the Centre of Indian Trade Union, the report added.
He further stated that Flex, responsible for producing chargers for Apple, has shown reluctance to acknowledge the union's presence at the plant, which has a workforce of approximately 4,000 individuals, including contractors who did not participate in the strike.
"Our values-based culture supports fair and competitive compensation for work, and open and transparent communication. Our doors are open and we encourage employees to share their perspectives," Flex was quoted as saying in a statement.
"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, which was reviewed by Reuters.
Flex manufactures chargers for Apple, adding to its roster of suppliers for the Cupertino-based company. Although not as prominent as some of Apple's other suppliers, Flex is a significant multinational corporation with a workforce of 172,000 employees globally. In Tamil Nadu, its plant alone employs 4,000 individuals.
The strike at the Tamil Nadu plant follows the announcement by the regional government regarding a $1.5 billion investment in iPhone manufacturing by international technology companies.