CHENNAI: Many employees of Foxconn Technology Group, who went back home after 159 workers suffered from food poisoning, are not sure if they want to come back to work at the factory in Sunguvarchatram near Sriperumbudur.
An employee, on condition of anonymity, said parents are reluctant to send their daughters back to the hostel. The employees, hailing from Thoothukudi, Tiruchy and Vellore, work for a sum of `10,000. “Usually, women in the 18-27 age group are hired,” said one of the women, who refused to provide details about the agent who hired her.She said even women from Chennai were being hired.
Recalling the protest, which was held after the management failed to provide details of eight women who fell ill due to food poisoning, women workers said they were angry after authorities stated that the women walked away without informing them. The eight women, along with 151 others, were food poisoned at one of the hostels for employees at International Maritime Academy at Puduchatram in Tiruvallur district.
“This is like shirking responsibility. We were never allowed to go out without permission from our parents. Even for a leave, we have to intimate them three days before,” she said. Another worker said the salary for this month has been credited and she is unlikely to rejoin.When TNIE visited a hostel in Sunguvarchatram, it was found to be devoid of proper ventilation and hygiene. A watchman there said around 200 women stayed there till November 30, after which they were shifted to another hostel.
“Usually, four to seven women stayed in a room measuring 144 sq m. The women preferred to stay together so we allowed it,” said the caretaker. A Foxconn spokesperson, whom TNIE reached out through e-mail over measures taken to bring workers back to the plant, failed to respond. Officials at the plant said they would talk to the employees once the ongoing internal audit is done.