US chip factory workers say it’s a ‘struggle to survive’ on their wages as industry booms

Employees at semiconductor factories are hoping to improve their working conditions. Photograph: Cindy Schultz/Bloomberg via Getty Images

As chip manufacturers grapple for billions of dollars in federal funds and tax breaks designed to boost the US semiconductor industry, they face growing calls from inside their factories to improve working conditions and pay.

Workers and labour unions are urging key companies in the sector to “do the right thing” and prioritize the wellbeing of employees over the wealth of their shareholders.