Bengaluru: Apple Inc.’s manufacturing partner Wistron Corp. will hire workers and restart operations in its Narasapura factory outside Bangalore after a violent protest shut the iPhone-manufacturing facility last December.

On December 12, some workers at the facility took to vandalism after their repeated complaints about pending salaries and indiscriminate pay cuts fell on deaf ears.

Reuters quoted a company statement as saying, “We are looking forward to restarting our operations and welcoming back team members and we thank them for their patience and support as we worked through corrective actions.”

 

Apple’s teams and independent auditors have been working with Wistron over the past eight weeks to put the necessary systems and processes in place, the Cupertino-based iPhone maker said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. However, the Taiwanese contractor will continue to face scrutiny.

“A comprehensive set of corrective actions has now been completed and Wistron has restructured their recruiting team and enhanced training and support for workers,” Apple said in the statement. “Wistron remains on probation and we will monitor their progress closely.”

“We are dedicated to ensuring that workers are protected and treated with dignity and respect. Wistron remains on probation and we will monitor their progress closely,” the statement added.

Apple had suspended new orders to Wistron in December after workers who had been hired on monthly pay of about $200 stormed the factory and rioted over unpaid salaries, destroying furniture and equipment leading to losses worth millions of dollars. The incident underscored the challenges to Apple as the world’s most valuable company seeks to expand its India business while diversifying its supply chain beyond China.