(Yicai Global) Nov. 16 -- Parts of China’s central Henan province are offering incentives to encourage low-ranking officials and retired soldiers to help plug a gap in the workforce at US tech giant Apple’s biggest assembly facility in the country after a flare-up of Covid-19 caused many employees to leave due to the strict epidemic control and prevention measures being imposed.

Low-ranking officials and retired soldiers who sign up at the facility in Zhengzhou that is run by iPhone contract manufacturer Hong Hai Precision Industry, better known as Foxconn, are entitled to their full salary plus the wage and subsidies offered by the factory, the Shanghai Securities News reported today.

The Kaifeng government is granting a bonus of CNY800 (USD113) to each government cadre who signs up to work at the Foxconn plant. On top of this, they are eligible to receive an incentive of CNY1,900 (USD268) from Taipei-based Foxconn should they complete the seven-day training and do at least a month’s worth of work at the factory.

Foxconn pays an hourly wage of CNY30 (USD4.24), and those new recruits who join between Nov. 9 and Nov. 19 will be given an additional allowance of CNY3,000 if they stick it out for more than 30 days, the plant management said on Nov. 13. It means that if they work 10 hours a day, they will earn at least CNY12,000 (USD1,694) in their first month.

Apple warned earlier this month that customers would experience longer wait times for the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max as the Foxconn facility was operating at ‘significantly reduced capacity.’

As the peak Christmas season approaches, cities and towns across Henan province have set themselves recruitment targets, with some aiming for 150 workers and others 200.

The first batch of new recruits arrived at the Zhengzhou facility on Nov. 13, Henan Daily reported. They come from all over the province, including Luoyang, Anyang, Xinxiang and Zhumadian.

Foxconn has three factories in Zhengzhou, of which the Airport Economy Zone plant is the biggest. It mainly assembles smartphones, computers and other consumer electronics. Covering 1.4 million square meters, it houses more than 90 production lines and employs around 300,000 workers.

It was estimated back in 2010 that the construction of the Foxconn plant will reduce the number of migrant workers leaving Henan province by around 800,000 people, according to the Economic Observer.

Editor: Kim Taylor