Foxconn International Holdings closed its Taiyuan, China, plant earlier today after a disturbance involving hundreds of people spun out of control, according to The New York Times and Reuters. The latter organization reported that about 2,000 workers were involved in a "brawl" at a company dormitory.
The cause remains unclear. Company officials have said a "personal dispute" escalated. The northern Chinese plant employs around 79,000 people, and has been closed for investigation until further notice.
The Taiwan-based company is the main manufacturer for major technology corporations including Apple, Dell, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Cisco, and Nokia. Foxconn has a long and complicated history of labor rights infractions, and recently was taken to task for its use of interns to meet high short-term demand for the iPhone 5 rollout.
