Industry Food poisoning hits 250 workers at Apple’s subcontractor plant in India – Protests against poor working conditions halt production

Technology giant Apple says it has placed the company’s main subcontractor on probation in India due to a widespread case of food poisoning and workplace violations.

For example, news agency AFP reports that about 250 workers at the Foxconn plant in southern India have suffered from food poisoning this month. Of those who received food poisoning, 159 have been hospitalized.

A wave of food poisoning has sparked widespread protests that have shut down the plant for another week. The protests are opposed to the accommodation conditions in which the factory workers live.

Apple says that in addition to the trial period, the company is working with a subcontractor to “take a comprehensive set of corrective actions as quickly as possible”.

The factory employs approximately 17,000 people and manufactures Iphone phones and other Apple devices for both the Indian market and for export.

Taiwanese Foxconn, who owns the plant, has apologized for the workers ’experiences and says he is making improvements.

Working conditions in Apple’s subcontractor factories have long been the subject of widespread criticism. In 2010, the factory area owned by Foxcon in China rose to headlines when an exceptional number of workers in the area committed suicide.