By Aditya Kalra and Praveen Paramasivam
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The Congress party in India has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to investigate Foxconn’s hiring practices following a report by Reuters that the Apple supplier discriminates against married women in its iPhone assembly jobs in the country.
The government has requested a detailed report from the state of Tamil Nadu, where a major iPhone factory is located and where Foxconn’s discriminatory hiring practices were uncovered. The story has sparked widespread debates and calls for action from various groups, including within Modi’s party.
Congress lawmaker Karti P. Chidambaram wrote a letter to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya urging the government to question Foxconn about its practices, especially since the company receives significant incentives from the federal government. Chidambaram emphasized the importance of ensuring that Foxconn complies with Indian laws and values.
“While foreign investment is important, it should not come at the expense of our cultural values,” Chidambaram wrote in the letter.
Apple, Foxconn, and the ministry have not yet responded to the Congress party’s letter.
The Reuters investigation revealed that Foxconn systematically excludes married women from jobs at its main India iPhone plant, citing reasons such as family responsibilities, pregnancy, and higher absenteeism.
In response to the investigation, Apple and Foxconn acknowledged hiring practice lapses in 2022 and stated that they had taken steps to address the issues. However, all discriminatory practices documented by Reuters at the Sriperumbudur plant occurred in 2023 and 2024.
Foxconn denied allegations of employment discrimination based on marital status or gender, while Apple stated that all its suppliers, including Foxconn, hire married women. The Foxconn positions in India offer food, accommodation, and a monthly paycheck of around $200, significantly lower than wages in China.
“Labour unions, women’s welfare organizations, and democratic forces should speak out against this discrimination,” said Vasuki Umanath of the Communist Party Of India (Marxist).
The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation party also called for action against what it described as “exploitative and discriminatory hiring practices.”
