“13 Consecutive Jumps” Abnormal Suicide The Biggest Manufacturing Factory In The World = A Sweatshop?

BACKGROUND So far we knew 14 employees has committed suicide within few months. Foxconn, AKA Hon Hai Precision -- a massive Taiwan -based company with huge factories in China -- is respon- sible for manufacturing electronics for several major US companies, namely Apple, Dell, and HP,to read these wo- rds was probably assembled by the hands of Foxconn wo- rkers; remote villagers that dedicate a few years of their lives (and typically 12 hours per day) to Foxconn's manu- facturing cities.

BACKGROUND In return, Foxconn pays a relatively com-petitive wage that enables its workers to support distant relatives or eventually return to their interior province to purchase land or open up a local shop. So it's a bit startling to hear that five Foxconn workers at its Longhua plant have attem-pted suicide since March 11th; a facility that employs, feeds, and houses an estimated 300,000 workers. This is especially disturbing after the much publicized suicide of a Foxconn employee supposedly entrusted with an iPhone prototype.

The causes of the Foxcoon event While the families of the Foxconn suicides maintain that long hours, low pay, and harsh management are to be blamed, also added that "the psychological problems of the workers" can be added to the list. Psychological problems caused by low pay, long hours, and harsh management, perhaps?

New employees must sign a voluntary affidavit committing to between 60 and 100 hours of overtime each month -- far more than the legal limit of 36 hours. Managers often verbally abuse workers, and randomly deduct pay from their performance bonuses. The 900 yuan minimum wage per month (around $132) is very low in comparison to the company's profits and standing in the country. The causes of the Foxcoon event

Foxconn increases wages by 30 percent as deaths continue to mount. Foxconn will be raising worker wages an additional 10% from the original 20% raise announced last week. Foxconn spokesman, Arthur Huang, said that the 30% base wage increase takes effect immediately. SOLUTION

Family of Yan Li, a Foxconn engineer, claims that their son died of exhaustion after working non-stop for 34-hours, then returning for another 12-hours after a 10-hour break. Yan Li's family is demanding 250,000 yuan (about 25 times the worker's annual base salary) in compensation. SOLUTION

Police have already ruled out suicide and homicide in the case. Foxconn accepts no responsibility in the matter saying it would only pay out "humanitarian terms" to the family. SOLUTION

SUGGESTION They manufacture the world's top electronic products, yet gathering their own fortune at the slowest possible pace. They often dream, but also repeatedly tearing apart their dreams, "if we keep working like this, we might as well quit dreaming for the rest of our lives." But it seems like while this factory's workers controlling the machines, the machines also have them dominated: the parts gradually come together as they move up the assembly line; at the same time, the workers' pure and only youth also disappear into the rhythmic machineries.

SUGGESTION Upgrade dormitory facilities After-work entertainment Secondary education Psychology help agency Social communication activities Basic life and health insurance ， job insurance Etc,

THANKS… 黄嘉茵 教信传播