This long read by Johanna Deeksha shows how in India’s iPhone factory, women workers are isolated through restrictive housing in hostels, raising concerns about their working conditions. Managed by Foxconn in Tamil Nadu, this practice contributes to India’s ambition to be a global electronics hub. The housing system limits residents’ movements and requires parental permission for outings, echoing China’s ‘dormitory labor regime’ which prioritizes efficiency and control over workers’ autonomy. Despite some improvements after protests, conditions remain largely unsatisfactory. ‘It’s essentially like imprisoning people,’ says S Kannan, deputy secretary of the Centre for Indian Trade Unions in Tamil Nadu, underlining the profound effects on workers’ freedom and quality of life.
