Over a week after workers of the Foxconn plant in Sriperumbudur near here staged a road roko on the arterial Chennai-Bengaluru highway in protest of the poor working and living conditions.,
A statement issued by the Tamilnadu government in this regard said it has advised Foxconn to improve the working and living conditions of its contract workers, mainly basic amenities like required space, bathrooms, lavatories, drinking water and ventilated rooms at the hostels.
The State government also has proposed to complete a Rs 570-crore facility to accommodate Foxconn workers in 15 months.
In a statement detailing the advisory given to the plant, the government said Sipcot would construct hostels for 18,750 workers at a cost of Rs 570 crore.
The hostels spread across 20 acres would be constructed as eight blocks (11 floors each) at Vallam Vadakaal in 15 months.
The government also informed that the representatives of Foxconn who took part in the December 23 talks have informed that they would resume production at the Sriperumbudur plant soon and expand the plant to create new job opportunities there.
Advising the management to obtain quality certification from the district Collector for the hostels, the government has also exhorted the Foxconn management to set up a kitchen at the hostel and supply quality food to the workers, which was one of the major grievances of the protestors.
The advisory also includes suggestions to the iPhone supplier to grant leave for emergencies to workers and find a temporary replacement for them through manpower agencies.
The advisory was issued following a meeting held by Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Irai Anbu with the representatives of Foxconn, industries secretary and ADGP of Law and Order here on December 23.
The statement said the representatives of Foxconn have agreed to implement all the suggestions given by the Tamilnadu government.
The statement quoted the firm’s representatives saying they would ensure basic amenities at the hostels accommodating women and supply of quality food by the contractors.
Also Tamilnadu government release said that the government gives importance to industrial growth and employment but it would always prioritise the welfare and safety of workers, especially women workers.
Earlier more than 150 employees at Foxconn’s production unit in southern India were hospitalised after a bout of food poisoning at Foxconn’s dormitories, where a majority of its staff lives.
This Food poisoning sparked protests by workers and their relatives, who blocked a key Chennai-Bengaluru highway for several hours, said a police official said.
“Nearly 70 women and 22 men have been detained since Saturday for blocking highway,” Police official said.
