TSMC is accused by its own American employees of anti-American discrimination. Several people claim that the Taiwanese company favors its Taiwanese workers over American employees there.
TSMC: a case of discrimination
Relations between TSMC and the United States are currently strained. Following the Huawei affair and the Taiwanese government’s refusal to establish the production of 2 nanometer chips on American soil, TSMC, Apple’s official supplier, is now accused of anti-American discrimination.
A group of American workers has filed a lawsuit against TSMC, Apple’s chipmaker, for alleged discrimination against Americans. The complaint, initiated by Deborah Howington, TSMC’s head of human resources, accuses the company of prioritizing the recruitment of Taiwanese workers for positions in the United States.
Among the accusations, TSMC allegedly held internal meetings in Mandarin, thus excluding American employees. Additionally, the company brought in hundreds of Taiwanese workers to speed up construction of the Arizona factory and reduce costs. These practices are criticized, especially since TSMC benefited from American public funding. We are talking about 6 billion dollars.
The factory, whose opening has been postponed until 2025, raises many questions. The United States aspires to produce the best chips at home, while Taiwan prefers to export its expertise on older chips. Despite the billions offered by the United States to carry out the project, Taiwan favors its own workers rather than Americans for the construction and operation of the factory.
The matter is far from resolved. TSMC has not yet directly responded to these accusations, but issued a general statement reiterating its commitment to its values.
TSMC strongly believes in the value of a diverse workforce and we hire and promote without regard to gender, religion, race, nationality or political affiliation because we respect differences and believe that equal employment opportunities strengthen our competitiveness.
