Anika Begay
By Praveen Paramasivam
SRIPERUMBUDUR, India (Reuters) – Foxconn’s chairman defended his hiring practices on Saturday after New Delhi ordered an investigation following a Reuters report that the Apple (NASDAQ:) supplier rejects married women from iPhone assembly jobs.
“Foxconn hires regardless of gender, but women are a significant part of our workforce here,” Young Liu said at the opening ceremony of a hostel complex for his employees near Chennai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
“I would like to emphasize that married women make a great contribution to the efforts we are carrying out here,” she added, making her first comments since the Reuters investigation.
Liu did not respond to media inquiries at the hostel complex that the state government says is “exclusive” for 18,720 Foxconn workers. The multi-story hostel buildings are located near the iPhone manufacturing plant.
A Reuters investigation published in June found that Foxconn systematically excluded married women from jobs at its main iPhone assembly plant in India, on the grounds that they had more family responsibilities than their single counterparts.
Foxconn acknowledged some shortcomings in its hiring practices in 2022 and said it had worked to address the issues, but added that it “vigorously rejects allegations of employment discrimination.”
The story has sparked television debates and newspaper editorials. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s federal government has ordered Tamil Nadu to provide a “detailed report” on the matter, and its labor officials have also visited the iPhone factory to question executives. New Delhi has yet to issue any conclusions.
Foxconn told labor officials that its main iPhone factory in India employs 41,281 people, including 33,360 women. Of those women, about 2,750, or about 8 percent, were married.
It did not break down the staffing data into specific areas, such as iPhone assembly, where Reuters said discrimination occurred.
In recent years, Foxconn has expanded into India, where it makes iPhones and products for other smartphone brands, and has plans to enter the AirPods and chipmaking businesses.
During his ongoing visit, Liu met with Modi and several senior Indian officials and discussed Foxconn’s investment plans.
