After tens of thousands of employees fled the factory of Foxconn, an Apple mobile phone manufacturer, in Zhengzhou, Henan due to the recent outbreak of the new crown virus, which caused a severe impact on production, the Henan local government mobilized grassroots cadres, party members, and veterans to work at Foxconn in Zhengzhou, and provided various subsidies. Incentives and subsidies to fill Foxconn's labor shortage.


Foxconn's Zhengzhou plant is the largest iPhone manufacturing plant in the world, employing more than 200,000 workers. Workers from rural towns across China live in dormitories. At the end of October, thousands of workers fled the factory and returned home on foot due to the chaos brought about by the lockdown of the factory. A large number of related videos and pictures on the Internet have attracted widespread attention. It is estimated that tens of thousands of workers left the factory.

According to the New York Times, in order to avoid supply delays before the festive season, Foxconn worked with local government departments in Henan to recruit workers for Foxconn to consolidate production.


According to the report, officials from Zhoukou City, a two-hour drive from Zhengzhou, held a meeting last week to discuss Foxconn's difficulty in hiring workers. Each township has a recruitment target. Kaifeng received the news and mobilized grassroots cadres to lead a team to work at Foxconn in Zhengzhou. Jiyuan City, Henan Province provides three days of local training for employees who join Zhengzhou Foxconn, and four days of training after arriving in Zhengzhou. During this period, they enjoy living allowances. After joining the job, the local government will reward 800 yuan in labor subsidies, and after 30 days of work, Foxconn will issue another 3,000 yuan of job stabilization subsidies.

Previously, in order to retain workers, Foxconn had announced three "attendance incentive increase plans" since October. The attendance subsidy was gradually increased from 50 yuan a day to the most recent 400 yuan a day, an increase of 8 times.

In addition to appealing to grassroots cadres and party members to work at Foxconn, some places in Henan also mobilized ex-soldiers to work at Foxconn. On November 15, the Veterans Affairs Bureau of Changge City, Henan Province issued a "Proposal on Calling on Veterans to Actively Sign up for Zhengzhou Foxconn Recruitment", stating that Foxconn's factory area, restaurants, and dormitories have been fully disinfected, and safety protection facilities have been renovated In place, he called on the retired soldiers in the city to respond to the call, "Keep in mind the oath and strive to be a pioneer in production and service", "Keep in mind the mission of 'If there is a war, we must return", and "moved after hearing the order" to work at Foxconn.

In addition, the recruitment policy released by Zhengzhou Foxconn Digital Products (iDPBG) Business Group on November 13 shows that new employees are recruited in the form of dispatched hourly workers, and employees are paid 30 yuan/hour from the day of entry. After 30 days of employment, you can enjoy an additional 3,000 yuan stability allowance.

According to Henan Daily, on November 13, the first batch of new employees from Xinxiang, Zhumadian, Xinyang, Luohe, and other places arrived at the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou.


According to the New York Times, an activist familiar with China's labor situation said that although China has mobilized the military and government officials under special circumstances, it is an unprecedented move for the government to recruit veterans for a private company. The activist emphasized that many older veterans may not be physically fit to work on a Foxconn production line. Most of Foxconn's workers are under the age of 35.

According to a Reuters report last month, Zhengzhou Foxconn's iPhone production in November may fall by about 30%. Recently, Apple lowered its shipment forecast for the high-end iPhone 14.

Foxconn recently announced that it has lowered its operating income forecast for the fourth quarter, and said it is working with the local government to deal with the new crown epidemic while trying to restore production capacity in the Zhengzhou park as soon as possible. Foxconn said the Henan provincial government "has made it clear that it will continue to provide support to Foxconn's Zhengzhou campus."

Foxconn’s production base in Zhengzhou plays an important role in the local economy. In addition to bringing jobs and tax revenue to Zhengzhou and Henan Province, its import and export value is believed to account for 80% of Zhengzhou’s import and export value and 60% of Henan Province’s import and export value.

Observers said that under Beijing's strict overall policy of zeroing out the new crown, the local government had given Foxconn some special treatment to the Zhengzhou campus, allowing the park to adopt some relaxed practices without shutting down operations, but it is believed that some people who feared the epidemic was also attacked because of this. Strong resistance from workers.

Taiwanese foundry giant Hon Hai Group’s Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, Henan reported that employees were infected in October. The factory said that only a small number of employees were affected. At the end of October, online videos and pictures showed that a large number of Foxconn employees worried about the epidemic fled the park with more than 200,000 people on foot. They left the factory on foot with various luggage and bags in their hands. Some walked along the road, and some walked in Huangtu Township. between. Some people placed supplies such as mineral water and dry food for Foxconn employees who passed by the factory to pick them up.