What you need to know
- Video has emerged of Quanta workers in China trying to flee their Shanghai factory in breach of COVID restrictions.
- Images show workers jumping over barriers and fighting with guards.
- It has been reported that workers are worried about tightening restrictions and positive tests on the campus.
A new shocking video has revealed scenes of workers at Apple supplier Quanta fleeing the Shanghai campus they have been kept on, fighting with guards and trying to escape COVID restrictions.
As reported by RFA_Chinese on Twitter:
[Suspected of dissatisfaction with "closed-loop production" epidemic prevention is too strict] [Quanta's Shanghai plant was shocked to hear that employees "rioted"] Shanghai Dafeng Electronics, a subsidiary of Shanghai Quanta, which has just partially resumed work, experienced an employee "riot" on the evening of Thursday (5th). As seen in the video, hundreds of young employees did not obey the command, jumped over the gate and ran away, and rushed out of the blockade to clash with the guards. It is reported that employees are dissatisfied with the epidemic prevention and control and want to go out to buy civilian materials.
【疑不满「闭环生产」防疫太严】
【广达上海厂惊传员工「暴动」】
刚局部复工的上海广达子公司上海达丰电子周四（5日）晚发生员工「暴动」。影片所见，数百名年轻员工不听指挥，纷纷跳过门口闸门跑开，集体冲出封锁线与警卫发生冲突。据悉员工因不满疫情防控，欲外出购买民生物资。 pic.twitter.com/3GpeBjHqG3【疑不满「闭环生产」防疫太严】
【广达上海厂惊传员工「暴动」】
刚局部复工的上海广达子公司上海达丰电子周四（5日）晚发生员工「暴动」。影片所见，数百名年轻员工不听指挥，纷纷跳过门口闸门跑开，集体冲出封锁线与警卫发生冲突。据悉员工因不满疫情防控，欲外出购买民生物资。 pic.twitter.com/3GpeBjHqG3— 自由亚洲电台 (@RFA_Chinese) May 6, 2022May 6, 2022
Bloomberg says that the company has not offered comment but that Quanta employees confirmed the riot had taken place, one stating "that people are worried about further tightening because there are positive Covid cases on the campus."
Like many other factories the plant has been operating a "closed-loop" system whereby employees live and sleep on-site or in nearby accommodation with transport to the factory to minimize the spread of the virus. All contact with anyone outside of the loop, including family members, is prohibited.
According to UDN, the riot started when about a hundred employees jumped over the gate at the factory and ran away while on-route back to their dormitories. As the report notes, Quanta is the exclusive supplier of Apple's MacBooks and relies on Apple for about 50% of its revenue. An employee told Bloomberg people were "getting tired and frustrated under the controls," but the report further notes that operations had returned to normal by Friday morning.
