iPhone 17 production forced employees to work nights while their pay was withheld

During the period between March and September of this year, the Chinese employees working on the iPhone 17 series saw a brutal crunch, according to China Labor Watch. There were also multiple labor rights violations, as well as some local laws being broken to get the phones ready on time, alleges the organization’s report.

Foxconn’s Zhengzhou facility hired a ton of temporary workers, totalling over 50 percent of the workforce. This, according to the report (subscription required), is “five times the legal limit under Chinese law”.

Many of these workers were forced to work nights for meager pay, had their pay withheld for weeks at a time, and had to work many hours over the legal allowed limit and Apple’s own cap. Employees couldn’t quit, either, as the pay structure meant that they wouldn’t see any money for the weeks that they had already put in.

The report also claims that Apple personnel were present on-site, and were very likely aware of the labor rights violations taking place, but chose to turn a blind eye. Workers who complained were threatened with the public release of personal information, and were subjected to surveillance.



Apple has, of course, come out and said that the company is “firmly committed” to upholding labor rights and ethical conduct. The company has also already launched an investigation of its own at the plant.

According to the report, this half a year of crunch time also created an environment where employees at the factory were constantly being intimidated. All of this was done so that the redesigned iPhone 17 Pro models, as well as the new iPhone Air, could be ready in time for their September debut.

This is far from the only controversy currently haunting the iPhone 17 series. The iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, for example, are very susceptible to damage due to their new aluminum construction. Apple has dismissed these problems for now, and there’s no telling if it will actually address these issues in the near future.



We’ve also witnessed the return of Antennagate, as iPhone 17 is having cellular issues for many users. What was supposed to be the most exciting iPhone launch in years has turned into a waste of money for many, and Apple is being scrutinized for its labor practices as well.

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