China: Foxconn accused of "disguised layoffs" through forced job transfers, workers protest across multiple locations
[Unofficial translation provided by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]
According to videos on Douyin (Chinese version of TikTok), in March 2024, Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory has been implementing the so-called "Wave Project," a controversial job transfer program that moves workers from non-manufacturing departments to production lines. Workers report being transferred across departments and even regions, with uncertain durations and slim chances of returning to their original positions...
After the pandemic, global orders for electronic products have decreased significantly. In 2023, Foxconn increased its investment in India and Vietnam, expanding production lines and transferring some orders from domestic factories. This has led to an overall reduction in production demand at Foxconn factories in China. Unlike manufacturing departments, which have more temporary workers and low layoff costs, non-manufacturing employees are mainly contract workers. Laying off contract workers requires companies to pay economic compensation (N+1 months' salary). To avoid layoff costs, Foxconn has allegedly used these forced transfers as disguised layoffs...
Workers from different Foxconn factories, including Zhoukou, Longhua, and Futian, have disclosed Foxconn's practices of job transfer, salary reduction, and disguised layoffs by not arranging overtime. In 2023, Foxconn's malicious forced job transfers triggered collective protests by workers at factory areas such as Langfang, Longhua, and Zhoukou.