Foxconn hiring ‘bias’: No evidence of discrimination against married women at iPhone maker’s Chennai unit, says report

Days after labour department officials inspected Apple supplier Foxconn’s factory near Chennai in Tamil Nadu over allegations that the company refused to hire married women, a media report said no evidence of discrimination in recruitment practices was found at the factory.

Quoting sources, news agency ANI reported that the Regional Labour Commissioner Chennai submitted a report, in which all the employees confirmed that they are not facing any form of discrimination concerning wages and promotions.

"As per the report submitted by the Regional Labour Commissioner Chennai, no evidence has been found showing discrimination against married women in employment and recruitment practices at the Foxconn iPhone factory in Chennai. The action, prompted by allegations of discriminatory practices, involved detailed interviews and examination of records. The team, which visited the plant recently, conducted thorough interrogations of 21 married female employees. All the employees confirmed that they are not facing any form of discrimination concerning wages and promotions," ANI quoted the sources as saying.

On Monday, a five-member team of the state government’s regional labour department visited the Foxconn factory near Chennai.

The inspection was conducted after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre seeking a detailed report.

“The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that Foxconn, a major manufacturer of Apple devices, has systematically excluded married women from jobs at its iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu,” the notice had said.

The central government had also asked the Regional Chief Labour Commissioner to provide a detailed report on the issue.

The govt's statement:

The central government issued a statement on June 26, citing Section 5 of the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976. 

"Section 5 of the Equal Remuneration Act 1976 clearly stipulates that no discrimination is to be made while recruiting men and women workers. As the state government is the appropriate authority for the enforcement and administration of the provisions of this Act, the report has been sought from it," it said.

A Reuters investigative story had alleged that Foxconn systematically excluded married women from the assembly jobs at its main iPhone plant in India.

With agency inputs.