Hundreds of MacBook Pro workers break through COVID barriers, battle guards

Video below has been shared. It shows hundreds of MacBook Pro employees breaking down COVID barriers meant to prevent them from entering a Chinese factory. With white protective coversalls, some of them are seen fighting off guards.

The plant, owned by Quanta Computer, is operating under strict lockdown conditions which go even further than the “closed-loop” production system used at many facilities making Apple products …

Background

While most countries accept that we will have to learn to live with COVID-19, the Chinese government believes that it is possible to completely eradicate the infection from the country. It is applying strict lockdowns when even a handful of cases are discovered within a city.

Just this week Zhengzhou, which is known as iPhone City because it houses the biggest iPhone plant anywhere in the world, was put under lockdown.

To avoid the closing of production plants, closed-loop production methods are allowed. These are where workers stay in dormitories on the premises. They cannot leave or enter the facility more than a month at a stretch. Apple was hoping that this approach could enable it to protect iPhone 14 production by recruiting workers before they are needed, but this plan has now been suspended.

Quanta has an iPhone plant in Shanghai that uses the closed loop system.

MacBook Pro workers break through COVID barriers

Taiwan’s Economic Daily reports that hundreds of MacBook Pro workers climbed over barriers intended to keep them within the plant. This happened after workers who were on breaks were refused permission to go back to their dorms to rest.

Bloomberg describes it as a major challenge to the Chinese government containment policy.

Hundreds of workers at a technology factory in China clashed with authorities and flooded past isolation barriers after weeks under lockdown, a stunning breakdown in the Communist Party’s efforts to contain Covid-19 infections.

The Shanghai factory, which is owned by Taiwan’s Quanta Computer Inc. and makes devices for Apple Inc. among others, has been operating under tight restrictions since the beginning of April. Workers were seen rushing through the barriers, and getting caught up with white-colored guards trying to prevent them from entering.

Quanta employees confirmed the clash occurred Thursday evening, while the company did not immediately provide comment. According to one worker, people worry about tightening further because of positive Covid cases. Another worker on the site said that the government plays a key role in overseeing operations at the plant.

The population of Shanghai, which has suffered some of the worst and longest lockdowns in history, is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the policy. However it’s rare for such rebellion to be seen in a country that is known for its harsh punishments for people who resist government orders.

Further MacBook Pro delays likely

While the main concern here is of course for the workers, it’s also likely to be bad news for those waiting for MacBook Pro deliveries.

Economic Daily says that Quanta’s plant is only operating at around 30% capacity due to the disruption, and doesn’t expect to achieve better than 50% even when things calm down.

This will likely increase delays in MacBook Pro orders which have been ongoing for several months. Yesterday, Apple emailed some of its readers to inform them about delays in orders that were placed back February. A few people have received notices that the machines will not ship until July five months after they were ordered.

Any increase in this delay could mean customers having to wait half a year to receive their MacBook Pro models.

The incident will likely increase pressure on China to reconsider its COVID containment policy.