'Dozens' of people arrested during incident

A number of workers at Foxconn's plant in Chengdu, China rioted on Monday night, reports say. The incident allegedly began when security guards attempted to stop a thief, and workers with grudges against the guards interfered. From there the situation grew out of control, until as many as a thousand workers were reportedly throwing bottles, bins, chairs, pots, and fireworks from the upper floors of a male dormitory.

Local police were called in by dorm administrators, and accounts say that "hundreds" of officers eventually showed up. In all the event lasted about two hours, resulting in the arrest of "dozens" of workers.

The Chengdu plant helps supply several Western electronics companies, such as Apple and Microsoft. It's unclear what if any effect the arrests might have on production. The riot may, however, only compound labor problems at Foxconn. The company has been accused of demanding unpaid overtime, imposing "humiliating" discipline, and continuing to keep workers out of genuinely representative unions. This is despite promises by both Apple and Foxconn to improve conditions, following a report from the Fair Labor Association.

By Electronista Staff

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industry, China, Foxconn