HONG KONG – The company that assembles Apple Inc.’s iPhones has announced it will ease COVID-19 restrictions at its largest factory in China that have led to it Lay off thousands of workers and drastically slowed production.
Foxconn Technology Group said in a statement on one of its official WeChat social media accounts that it would end the so-called “closed-loop” system at the plant in Zhengzhou, central China, which required workers to work at their Staying in workplaces and dormitories to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections.
The move, announced on Wednesday, came about a week after China began easing strict COVID-19 curbs despite signs of a rising number of infections.
after a wave of protests Across the country, many “zero-COVID” restrictions have been lifted in the past month. That means people will no longer need to take frequent COVID-19 tests to travel on public transport. If they test positive for the virus, they can isolate themselves at home if they have only mild or no symptoms, rather than being sent to a quarantine center.
The government of Chinese President Xi Jinping remains officially committed to stopping the virus transmission. However, recent government moves suggest that authorities will tolerate more infections without quarantines or the closure of travel or businesses.
Thousands of workers at the huge Zhengzhou plant walked out in late October amid complaints about unsafe working conditions – such as food shortages due to closed cafeterias – and a virus outbreak at the plant.
The final quarter of the year is typically a busy season for companies like Foxconn as they ramp up production ahead of the year-end holiday rush. Apple has warned that the iPhone 14 Deliveries would be delayed due to production disruptions.
Foxconn, headquartered in New Taipei City, Taiwan, has been trying to rebuild its workforce after the massive strike in late October. The company then finally apologized after a wage dispute was triggered protests by workers who said Foxconn changed the wage terms offered to attract them to the factory.
In its announcement, the company said it would no longer offer free meals to workers as plant canteens reopened. Instead, meal costs will be deducted from staff wages as usual, although workers who are required to quarantine after testing positive for the virus will continue to receive free meals.
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