HONG KONG, China — Workers at a Chinese factory owned by the world's largest maker of athletic footwear are striking in a dispute over benefits. A worker said more than 10,000 employees at Yue Yuen Industrial's plant in the southern province of Guangdong joined the strike on Tuesday.

The number could not be independently verified. A company spokesman could not be reached for comment.

The Taiwanese owned company makes shoes for Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Asics, New Balance, Timberland and other brands.

The worker and labor groups said the workers are upset because the company failed to pay full social security and housing fund contributions. The strike started on April 5 and resumed Monday when the demands were not met.

Yue Yuen employs about 60,000 workers in the region.

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