"Foxconn Workers Faced Tough Conditions During Rush to Make iPhone 17, Labor Group Says" Bloomberg, 25 September 2025

Chinese factory workers suffered difficult conditions while racing to get Apple Inc.’s new iPhone 17 lineup ready, according to a report from China Labor Watch.

The investigation highlighted a number of labor rights concerns and alleged that Foxconn is violating Chinese law by employing a large percentage of temporary “dispatch” workers. It also blamed “unstable orders” for creating an environment under which factory workers are facing constant pressure and intimidation.

In response to the report, Apple said it’s “firmly committed to the highest standards of labor, human rights, environmental and ethical conduct.”

“Our suppliers are required to provide safe working conditions, treat workers with dignity and respect, act fairly and ethically, and use environmentally responsible practices wherever they make products or perform services for Apple,” the company said in a statement. “We regularly conduct third-party audits, and anytime an issue is raised anywhere in our supply chain, we move swiftly to ensure that our high standards are upheld. In this case, Apple teams were on site and began an immediate investigation.”

Foxconn’s pay structure, which holds back a second portion of wages until the following month, left some dispatch workers without weeks’ worth of overtime pay if they resigned before a particular cutoff date, China Labor Watch said. And excessive overtime continues to be a prevalent issue, the report alleged.

“Most workers clocked 60 to 75 hours per week, well above China’s legal maximum and Apple’s own 60-hour weekly cap,” the organization said. China Labor Watch documented the presence of Apple employees at the Zhengzhou facility and claims this suggests that the US company’s representatives “are aware of the working conditions.”

Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The report cited concerns about coercion of young workers with student status, alleging that they were often forced onto night shifts for low pay. China Labor Watch also claimed that there was discriminatory hiring that excluded multiple ethnicities, exposure to hazardous chemicals without adequate protective equipment, and widespread harassment and intimidation. “Workers who raised complaints were subjected to surveillance, threats and even the public release of personal information,” the organization said.