Trade union slams Karnataka govt for failing to protect workers at Wistron

BENGALURU/NEW DELHI (Reuters) – A leading Indian trade union criticised Karnataka state on Thursday for failing to take firm action against iPhone maker Wistron, and protect the company’s contract workers, after a protest over salary payments turned violent.

The protest on Saturday over months of alleged underpayment of wages at Wistron’s factory in the southern Indian state spiralled out of control after police were summoned.

The Taiwanese contract manufacturer, one of Apple’s top global suppliers, said in a police complaint that more than 5,000 of its contract workers had destroyed property and equipment, causing an estimated $60 million in damages.

It later said in a statement to the Taiwan stock exchange that the damages, which forced it to shut the factory, were worth up to $7 million.