Foxconn Employees Get 20 Percent Pay Raise

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popatim

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Those of you who want to give them a 400%+ raise would surely bitch about having to pay $2000+ for your iPad wouldn't ya. Anytime you buy something 'cheap', someone somewhere is paying a price whether if be slave labor, child labor, or serfdom...
 

vancouverboy

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[citation][nom]zoemayne[/nom]china has a suicide problem not just Foxconn google it. Prob the gov way of population control[/citation]

Suicide issues aren't that simple. SURE, China's gov could have done better, but the problem is probably more in socio-psycological level than in political. As i mentioned earlier even in Japan, one of the most industrialized countries, the number of suicides exceeded 30,000 for the twelfth straight year... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_Japan) And I don't think of many sweat shops to be found in Japan or the gov created such a phenomenon.

Foxconn and China should open up more suicide hot lines and help centers and 'actively encourage' those who feel depressed/desperate to check in regularly to solve the problem and, finding out what the most common issues to be addressed in the future.
 

anamaniac

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[citation][nom]NeeKo[/nom]Well those suicides werent in vain then! A few people helped thousands[/citation]
That's a horrible thing to say, but in the end, I believe you're right...

One of the big differences is that in my neighbourhood (a poor one mind you), a living wage is $13/hour at 40h/week.
Drinks at the bar also cost $6-10.
 

Ehsan w

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[citation][nom]IzzyCraft[/nom]You don't live where they live where 140 is well above the avg for people of their skill set location and age.Although they get trapped into a foxconn serfdom where they can own more then they make make making deals with foxconn such as food plans etc.[/citation]

$140,- a month?
seriously? Last time they said, they worked up to like 90 hours a week.
how the hell is that above average?
And if it is, they need to raise that shit even more.
 

elusion11

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I'm not even sure if I should be talking about it, as I am a little scared for my own security as I am writing this behind a proxy and alternate ID. that the recent suicides are nothing to do with the salary of the workers. People on this thread are just unbelievable, you foreigners make up your little stories to indulge your self-centered ignorance without even trying to understand another cultures.

you sit in your nice cozy chair in your big house and you start throwing blind accusations, and opinions on how the everyone in this world should be more like "yourself", however you fail to understand the simple rule of equilibrium and the fragile balance this world runs on. If everyone should live their life like you, this Earth would be destroyed many times over. You are only living the way you are IS BECAUSE OTHERS ARE SUFFERING. Instead of throwing out ego-centered accusations, why not just appreciate what you have already and make better use of your time/and life.

Let me tell you this, I work in the same city where the Foxconn plant is located in, even in the same area. My co-worker's wife is also working in Foxconn, albeit higher position. So we get a lot of inside news on this. I don't want to say too much, but the suicides are mostly related to the abusive behavior of the security guards at the facility. I'm sure you've read stories about Reuter's reporter being beaten violently by the same security guards for just taking photo of the facility while standing on public street. these security guards are now under review and possibly will be pressed with criminal charges for their misconducts (rape, bully, murder etc). One of the suicides is because the security guard sexually abused a girl working at the factory and she thought that jumping off the building was the best way to deal with this, then her boyfriend jumped off after her. etc anyone I will stop here as i think ive said alot already.
 

triplebug

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[citation][nom]elusion11[/nom]I'm not even sure if I should be talking about it, as I am a little scared for my own security as I am writing this behind a proxy and alternate ID. that the recent suicides are nothing to do with the salary of the workers. People on this thread are just unbelievable, you foreigners make up your little stories to indulge your self-centered ignorance without even trying to understand another cultures.you sit in your nice cozy chair in your big house and you start throwing blind accusations, and opinions on how the everyone in this world should be more like "yourself", however you fail to understand the simple rule of equilibrium and the fragile balance this world runs on. If everyone should live their life like you, this Earth would be destroyed many times over. You are only living the way you are IS BECAUSE OTHERS ARE SUFFERING. Instead of throwing out ego-centered accusations, why not just appreciate what you have already and make better use of your time/and life.Let me tell you this, I work in the same city where the Foxconn plant is located in, even in the same area. My co-worker's wife is also working in Foxconn, albeit higher position. So we get a lot of inside news on this. I don't want to say too much, but the suicides are mostly related to the abusive behavior of the security guards at the facility. I'm sure you've read stories about Reuter's reporter being beaten violently by the same security guards for just taking photo of the facility while standing on public street. these security guards are now under review and possibly will be pressed with criminal charges for their misconducts (rape, bully, murder etc). One of the suicides is because the security guard sexually abused a girl working at the factory and she thought that jumping off the building was the best way to deal with this, then her boyfriend jumped off after her. etc anyone I will stop here as i think ive said alot already.[/citation]

Yeah.. I read newspaper about abusive of security guards in Foxconn and a worker got thrown by them from XX floor, and what need to finish assembly a component in less than 7 secs.

Hell no I will never buy Foxconn product.
 
[citation][nom]NeeKo[/nom]Well those suicides werent in vain then! A few people helped thousands[/citation]

All suicides are in vain. It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Nothing is worth intentionally killing yourself over.
 

gfair

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[citation][nom]otacon72[/nom]A whopping $140 a month... that wouldn't even pay my cell/data card bill...[/citation]

Everything is vastly cheaper in China, of course. But I think many of these employees would be happier with 20% more time off. Feeling trapped at your job yet having to show up to it 100 hours a week leaves no time to pursue one's other passions, or look for another job. This is, ultimately, what will stifle people once they want to get out of their situation.
 

NuclearShadow

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As I pointed out in the last article concerning Foxconn and their employees that they can easily afford to give pay raises without increasing costs to the consumer.

When it comes to cases of larges companies like Foxconn that exploit their workers its really not about lowing costs for the consumer rather to increase profits for the big shots within the companies and large investors. The less you pay and the harsher conditions you submit your employees to the more money for yourself is their line of thinking.

Companies over in the western world do something similar with lay-offs the company will lay-off employees who have been around for a long time who naturally get paid more than a new employee. So what they do is lay-off the older workers then turn around and hire a bunch of new ones.
Or in the most slap in the face case they hire the new ones have the long time workers train them and then can the long time employees.
This saves money on labor costs which means larger bonuses for the CEO and other high positions.
 

hongkongman

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I can see completely how all these people are driven to commit suicide. Really I can! The worst part is not the low wages, nor the armed thugs dressed in security clothes that beat you up for no reason at all, but the verbal abuse! Yes, the verbal abuse, that is the worst! I think I detect a pattern here: I am a Chinese now living in Hong Kong. When I lived in Toronto, Canada many years ago, IBM was still making and selling PCs. The assembling of the PCs selling locally was contracted out to Acer, the big Taiwanese IT company in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto. The hiring of factory workers are contracted out by Acer to a small local HR agency (therefore, owned and run by white men and not the problem in this story). On the factory floor, all the supervisors are all Taiwanese and they only hired (through the agency of course) desperate immigrants like me and others from China, India, Pakistan and elsewhere to work as workers. It was in Canada, so the security guards beating you up part does not apply in this story. Anyway, I started working there from July. When the back-to-school rush was coming to an end by mid-August, I noticed that is when the supervisors really crank up the verbal abuse, and they will yell at you for anything, or for no reason at all almost every time they walk by you. And this verbal abuse will die down by September after many people left. By around November they will hire many new comers for the Christmas rush. And by about early December when the Christmas rush is coming to an end, they will crank up the verbal abuse again…... In hindsight, I can see what they are doing in my case: I believe that they are strategically using verbal abuse as some kind of psychological weapon to make you leave the company on your own so that they can save on severance payments when they don’t need you, the redundant workers, after the high season is over. Sure you can complain to the HR agency but what can they do about it? Nothing. For those who do not leave on your own, the supervisors know who you are and know that you are desperate to make a living. It is not like you can form a union because Acer does not hire you, it is the small HR agency that did. I strongly believe the Taiwanese employ heavy verbal abuse as a tool to attempt to control the lower rank Chinese workers in today’s Taiwanese-run Foxconn, plus the low wages and the security guards beating you up part of the story, of course! Take my word for it, if you are subject to verbal abuse long enough like I did, you will feel and act like a slave. And at that point, suicide does not look too bad as an option. And by the way, enjoy using that iphone and ipad of yours, just don’t get too surprised when you find blood on your hand afterwards!
 

Nintendork

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Less capitalism. Do you really need a cellphone? Why not public phones?

Really need iDrone products? Just use your TV for 10years, then change it.
 

r0x0r

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You know, this is why PC's are better than consoles. All the consoles today (PS3, WIii, 360) are manufactured by Foxconn, but not all PC parts are manufactured by Foxconn. I can choose to minimize the amount of Foxconn in my PC, and support the company of my choice instead.

Oh yeah, I won't be buying a Motorola phone or a Kindle either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn
 

triplebug

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Long working hours, low pay, PHYSICAL ABUSE.

FROM wikipedia
Assault on foreign reporters at a Chinese factory

On February 17, 2010, Reuters released a news story on Apple and its suppliers' practice of secrecy. In the article, it includes an account of Foxconn security guards confronting Reuters reporters taking photos of an alleged factory producing parts for Apple products, while standing on a public road.

After the reporter boarded a taxi, a security personnel stopped the vehicle and confronted him. As workers watched, two security guards tried to drag him into the factory. When the reporter struggled free, a guard kicked the reporter while another guard threatened to hit him if he moved. The reporter called police after a Foxconn security vehicle drove by and the security guards attempted to coerce him into the car. Police arrived later and was able to mediate the two parties with the security guards apologizing to the reporter. While offering an option to the reporter to file a police report, the police officer informed him that he is free to choose whichever option but he must note that Foxconn receives special status locally.
 

elusion11

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People may not be aware, but that the number of jump has already reached 16. Foxconn and the government are now censoring further media leakage on the suicides. they are bribing locals to "shut their mouth" about the incidents.

to elaborate on the security guards, most of these guys are ex-military, and part of a local gang, so you can be assured that they will not hesitate to dish out some physical damage. one of the suicide incident was related to a stolen Apple iPhone 4G, the security guards raided the living quarters of a suspected employee and beat him violent to confess, he later jumped out of his floor after this.

people need to understand that the worker's wage is not the main reason for the jumps, yes, they are very low compared to western standards. but compared to the national average, their wage is actually not so bad. so increasing the wage will not have much of an effect on the suicide rate. many are glad to have a job at foxconn, because if they didn't their family would starve, this is why these workers often do not complain about longer working hours.

the main reason is because they are often VERBALLY and PHYSICALLY abused. the people in higher position will show absolutely no respect for the lower position, they are often treated less than animals, more like objects.
 

bstm300

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Of course, Falcard. There could be no correlation between pay grades and suicide rates. Not even if employees have an incentive to kill themselves so that there families can get 100,000 in restitution. Of course not!
 
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