Business

Big question marks over Foxconn iPhone factory
by Zuzana Zelenakova

Foxconn Technology Group is known to be the biggest electronics manufacturer in the world and it produces some of the most recognized electronic gadgets such as iPod, iPhone and iPad for Apple inc, PlayStation 2 and 3 for Sony, cellphones for Motorola and has orders from numerous computer companies. However, Foxconn reputation has been strain due to series of employee suicides. In period between January and May 2010 twelve employees attempted suicides, ten of them died. The death sparked the heated discussion questioning working conditions in the company. Most of the employees are migrant workers and have to deal with monotonous 10-hour work every day. They have to abide b! y strict rules which for example ban them from speaking to each other on the production line. The last death was 23-year-old man from Longhua factory in Shenzhen who jumped off the building. In a desperate response Foxconn said it had installed safety nets around almost all factory buildings. "I'm not confident we can stop every case. But as a responsible employer we have to take up the responsibility of preventing as many as we can," said Terry Gou, chairman of Hon Hai company, of which Foxconn is subsidiary. Most recently, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs stepped up to defend working conditions provided by the company. "Foxconn is not a sweatshop," said Jobs during All Things Digital conference in California. "You go in this place and it's a factory but, my gosh, they've got restaurants and movie theaters and hospitals and swimming pools. For a factory, it's pretty nice." Wednesday, Foxconn announced 30 percent pay rise for the Chinese assembly line workers. So far, the ! workers have been paid 900 yuan (about 130 US dollars) a month! . The Lo nghua plant employs 300,000 workers and it is considered the largest factory in the world.

related story (sgx17474): http://www.france24.com/en/20100602-steve-jobs-defends-worki...

by Zuzana Zelenakova for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.

posted by Blog TechSource @ 7:12 PM