Massive riot shuts down production at Foxconn plant in China

Shawn Knight

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A minor altercation escalated into a full-scale riot at a Foxconn plant in the central Chinese city of Taiyuan late Sunday evening. A spokesperson for the electronics manufacturer said police had to be called in to regain order as production came to halt.

Reports are still a bit sketchy at this hour as Foxconn says it all started as a “personal dispute” but eyewitness accounts claim an overzealous factory guard sparked the incident by beating workers. A Foxconn spokesperson told Retuers the plant is closed today for investigation while another worker said the facility could remain closed for two or three days.

Photos from outside the factory’s perimeter show broken glass at a security checkpoint. We’re also hearing the area is littered with olive-colored paramilitary vehicles and around 5,000 law enforcement officials were called in to restore the peace. Depending on which report you read, anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 workers may have been involved.

The Taiyuan factory employs roughly 79,000 people that create electronic components for various companies including Apple, Dell, HP and Microsoft. An employee said the plant made parts for the recently-released iPhone 5 although a spokesperson for Foxconn would neither confirm nor deny this allegation.

It’s more bad news and negative press for a company that’s dealt with low wages and accusations of poor working conditions for several years. These issues led to a string of suicides that garnered worldwide attention and prompted both Apple and Foxconn to join forces in an effort to improve conditions and pay rates.

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What no comments against Apple. Windows minions. I guess not the truth comes out. Foxconn is not just cranking out Apple parts but also works for many windows computer makers too. I seemed to have read before where windows fans tried to connect Foxconn with Apple every time there is a negative news. It turns out Foxconn is just as connected to Microsoft as it is to Apple. In your face Apple haters.
 
@Guest - that was incredibly amusing. I'm constantly amazed at how much attention some Apple fans need. Seriously, if a story comes out, and nobody throws in an anti-Apple comment right away, you have to make up an anti-Apple comment to rail against and publicly defend Apple? Really? It's like watching a schizophrenic have an argument with himself in public...
 
What no comments against Apple. Windows minions. I guess not the truth comes out. Foxconn is not just cranking out Apple parts but also works for many windows computer makers too. I seemed to have read before where windows fans tried to connect Foxconn with Apple every time there is a negative news. It turns out Foxconn is just as connected to Microsoft as it is to Apple. In your face Apple haters.

Challenge Accepted

Apple products a over-hyped, over-priced pieces of crap wrapped in a shiny wrapper. Their customers are one step below cultists. The only way they can compete is to try and sue competitors out of business. Their proprietary software makes sure you experience your Apple product THEIR WAY instead of your way because they know best.

But at least you don't get viruses....oh wait...
 
"But at least you don't get viruses....oh wait..."

Darkshadoe you just made my day with that last line. lolz
 
The amount of time and effort Apple puts into user experience is what makes them so popular. Some people want shiny things that work 99.9% of the time, not the latest and greatest technology that comes with security holes and hardware put together by 5-6 different manufacturers.


By the way, I've been an Android/PC user for the past 7 years.
 
What no comments against Apple. Windows minions. I guess not the truth comes out. Foxconn is not just cranking out Apple parts but also works for many windows computer makers too. I seemed to have read before where windows fans tried to connect Foxconn with Apple every time there is a negative news. It turns out Foxconn is just as connected to Microsoft as it is to Apple. In your face Apple haters.

No one bashed Apple, and yet you went ahead and bashed them just to fuel a rant that nobody wanted to take part in. Why are you arguing with yourself? I'm guessing it's your consicence getting the best of you after recieving your new iPhone 5. Keep ignoring it.
 
What no comments against Apple. Windows minions. I guess not the truth comes out. Foxconn is not just cranking out Apple parts but also works for many windows computer makers too. I seemed to have read before where windows fans tried to connect Foxconn with Apple every time there is a negative news. It turns out Foxconn is just as connected to Microsoft as it is to Apple. In your face Apple haters.
Why don't you go back and read where Microsoft's name was mentioned as well. The only other time Apple was mentioned, was on a positive note suggesting that Apple was helping to make conditions better. There was absolutely no need in your Apple vs Microsoft stand point.

And just so you know I am an anti-Apple fanatic, but that doesn't mean I am a Microsoft fanatic at the same time. What makes you a Apple fanatic is how you come here fishing for negativity toward Microsoft. I don't do these things for Apple but since you brought it up, hmmm!!!
 
Lol so many people offended by Guests comment. Here I expected to read some legit comments on the actual story not tons of responses by people replying to Guest's terrible comment he probably just made for the trollz... oh well.
 
SIGH...O.K. let's start Apple makes computer "systems" and gadgets,phones,music players etc.
Microsoft make's computer "software" and the occasional gadget, music player, tablet etc.
I thought this story was about a fight breaking out at a plant that makes parts for a number of American company's, probably from working conditions and pay Issue's.
I really don't think that It started because one guy said Microsoft sucks...Apple Is better!
comments like that don't belong In the work place or HERE.
 
What no comments against Apple. Windows minions. I guess not the truth comes out. Foxconn is not just cranking out Apple parts but also works for many windows computer makers too. I seemed to have read before where windows fans tried to connect Foxconn with Apple every time there is a negative news. It turns out Foxconn is just as connected to Microsoft as it is to Apple. In your face Apple haters.

In your face, Apple lover! :)
 
Why do people become so obsessed with companies these days? It bemuses me why people put so much energy into blindly supporting entities whose sole aim is to make money. All of them. They don't care about you, just your cash, so why do you care about them so much?

I've always liked Techspot because the children seemed to go elsewhere, so if you could do us all a favor and go back there that would be great.
 
Why do people become so obsessed with companies these days? It bemuses me why people put so much energy into blindly supporting entities whose sole aim is to make money. All of them. They don't care about you, just your cash, so why do you care about them so much?

I've always liked Techspot because the children seemed to go elsewhere, so if you could do us all a favor and go back there that would be great.

Consumers have always done this. It's called "brand loyalty".
 
@Guest - that was incredibly amusing. I'm constantly amazed at how much attention some Apple fans need. Seriously, if a story comes out, and nobody throws in an anti-Apple comment right away, you have to make up an anti-Apple comment to rail against and publicly defend Apple? Really? It's like watching a schizophrenic have an argument with himself in public...

Awesome comment.

And what he did is called a 'straw house' argument. You make something up and then provide an argument against it. Since this is an election year, watch for this strategy in political commercials, it's used a lot.
 
Sounds to me those of us with better work environments need to cut of trade with those that are less fortunate. But then again thats the American way is it not? As long as we don't know how the product is made and we can get it cheaper, we don't care what happened in the process if it doesn't involve us. Governments around the globe could influence others simple by cutting of trade. But then why would the government do that for other countries, when they usually don't care about their own?
 
Sounds to me those of us with better work environments need to cut of trade with those that are less fortunate. But then again thats the American way is it not? As long as we don't know how the product is made and we can get it cheaper, we don't care what happened in the process if it doesn't involve us. Governments around the globe could influence others simple by cutting of trade. But then why would the government do that for other countries, when they usually don't care about their own?

Any pressure we can put on them to provide better conditions would be great, but cutting off trade just makes things worse for the average person. Low pay and horrible conditions are bad, but outright starving is worse.
 
A spokesperson for the electronics manufacturer said police had to be called in to regain order as production came to halt.

Anyone else read that as, "We called in the police because the riot stopped production"?
 
Any pressure we can put on them to provide better conditions would be great, but cutting off trade just makes things worse for the average person. Low pay and horrible conditions are bad, but outright starving is worse.
I see your point but my point is they wouldn't starve because a business man (the one at the top making conditions bad) wants to make a profit.
 
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