Relocation to India: Apple wants to modify (and not improve) working conditions

Apple launched the major migration of its production capacities to India. In addition to a new Foxconn factory in the province of Karnataka, Apple and its partners are seeking to change local labor law, the objective being to streamline production over 24 hours and increase the volume of overtime hours per employee. According to Bloomberg, theIndian Cellular and Electronics Association Lobby Group – of which are part Foxconn, Pegatron as well as Wistron – supported by Apple seek labor law reform in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Over the last 6 months, several meetings have already been held between representatives of ICEALG and members of the government.

The State of Tamil Nadu has already accepted the principle of a major change in labor law in the factories of the region, and in fact, the expected changes are numerous. Rotation in the factories could thus be organized around 2 shifts of 12 hours every 24 hours (a system already in place in the Chinese factories of Apple suppliers) in order to ensure constant and uninterrupted production.

The number of overtime hours per employee would also be capped at 48 hours per week (which is already enormous), an hourly volume which is added to the number of working hours, also capped at 48 hours. The workers could therefore work a maximum of 96 hours per week! Over three months worked, the number of hours would increase to 145 hours (max), ie double the current situation (75 hours). For good measure in what looks more like a break in local labor law, women can also be mobilized at night. Let’s at least hope that salaries and bonuses follow the same upward trend…