Another
Foxconn employee has committed suicide within the last few hours, several Chinese news sources are reporting. So far, we know that the employee was male, and that he died at the Longhua factory but no other details have been made available as of yet. This latest death comes just hours after the news that Foxconn employees were very recently asked to sign a letter saying that the company would pay no more than legal minimum wage for "injuries sustained outside the workplace." The letter, which was made public early this morning, caused Chairman of Hon Hai to say they were "taking it back" as the language was inappropriate. Foxconn, AKA Hon Hai Precision -- a massive Taiwan-based company with huge factories in China -- is responsible for manufacturing electronics for several major US companies, namely Apple, Dell, and HP. All three
released statements about the state of affairs earlier today that essentially boil down to "we're looking into it."
[Thanks,
MakeChoice]
posted May 26th 2010 3:47PM
Wow. They should be ashamed of themselves. So much profit, they could easily cut in some of that to their employees.
@Johnny Rockets They just want attention now
@Johnny Rockets
This is a lot of suicides. I mean there is one like everyday now :|
This has to stop. Immediate action should be held. Maybe start by taking everyone to dinner tonight D:
@Drybones5 This is *not* a lot of suicides.
Four. Hundred. Thousand. Employees.
@Johnny Rockets
THEY should be ashamed? True, but putting the blame only on them is ridiculous and far too easy.
Here we are on a "news" site dedicated to consumer technology, buying no doubt way more than we need, always having to have the latest and greatest and for the lowest possible price.
Meanwhile US companies don't even make anything they sell and actively look for the dirt-cheapest places to make their stuff. Then a few people commit suicide and all of a sudden, "Oh, gosh, we had no idea people would be KILLING themselves! We better look into this ROGUE operation." What they really mean to say is, "FUCK. This shit stays under the radar just fine usually, now some Chinese fucks are actually fucking KILLING themselves so there's a shitload of press. Better get out there and make a statement so we look surprised. Call Foxconn and tell them to get their people under control! We want cheap workers who DEDICATE theirs lives to this monotonous shit job, not workers who END their lives for it!"
@Johnny Rockets
Perfect timing? it's sad though.
@Johnny Rockets It's like Walmart.
@Johnny Rockets
R.I.P. Miyagi
@sweet greggo I know everyone likes to make their funny comments here but seriously, only a true piece of shit would make a comment like that. You should stick a gun on YOUR mouth.
@sweet greggo
Lmao...
@dgtlber
I believe it's been renamed "asymmetrical warfare" and the only solution is to tighten the screws on those remaining..........right?
@DoctarPeppar wow... and you're a piece of shit for thinking its funny. I didn't realize Engadget attracted so many shitbags.
Foxconn employees have a long way to go until they reach the national Chinese average rate of suicide. Foxconn employees are still 6 times less likely to commit suicide than the average Chinese citizen.
@Johnny Rockets
Why does everyone assume it's working conditions related?
There could be all kinds of reasons they commit suicide that have nothing to do with their working conditions.
We just hear about a suicide, see something we don't like and Bingo, the two must be related.
@Johnny Rockets
These aren't suicides. These are covert Apple assasinations on terrorists threatening to release a weapon of mass miracle product revealings.
@sweet greggo Lowlife.
@sonicyoof I see what you mean but this is in no way our fault. Because we want products they shouldnt be treated like shit. I dont care how my gadgets get made. As long as they are made. This company needs to start getting their shit together or you will start to see some big contracts pulled.
Exactly. I'm sure the communist goby. in china plays a role too.
@Johnny Rockets
No, these idiots need to stop killing themselves at work.
@MCV
It's called sarcasm.
Are you going to go to china and attend said person's funeral?
Gonna help out with his family?
What exactly are you going to do about it other than chastise people on a blog? Absolutely NOTHING -- thought so.
Quit being holier than thou and go spread your gloom to others.
@Failbait
You're a piece of shit for trying to make a joke!!
Blah blah blah ANGST!!
/MCV
@StriderNo9
I think you're missing the point. Sure, contracts may be pulled from Foxconn (this is some bad PR), but do you think that changes the overall landscape of how our products get made? They'll switch to another provider until people start offing themselves en masse at that one.
And it's our fault, too. How many people are going to not buy the new iPhone because of this? Pretty close to no one. So aside from a string of suicides creating some bad press for US companies, nothing will really change because no one is willing to forgo their precious iPhone.
And I love how you make your point that it's not our fault: "I dont care how my gadgets get made. As long as they are made." Uhhh...
@DoctarPeppar
Twat.
@Johnny Rockets
Whether it is related to the working conditions or stresses that they are dealing with in their personal life, we cannot expect them to change.
This is Communist China we are talking about.
The only way for there to be any resolve is for U.S. companies to stop dealing with their factories....not likely to happen either.
@sonicyoof
Also, I love how on this story the only revolution we're being called to join is "The Silent Revolution: AIM and Facebook Chat unite!" complete with an angry guy carrying a flag, planes, parachutes, and bold, grungy design. Puke.
@Johnny Rockets
somebody's ashamed: the headline changed.
Stop complaining about the "communist government" in China, this is in Taiwan -- as in the Republic of China -- a semi-presidential republic.
It is NOT the People's Republic of China. (mainland China, Communist)
Some of you folks are waaaaaay too uptight.
@Drybones5
Not a lot, really. They have 350,000 to 400,000 employees working for them (depending on what source I read). 12 in every 100,000 Chinese commit suicide each year. This is... the tenth Foxconn employee to do it? They're at 1/3-1/4 the national average. The only reason this is even news is because of its connections to American companies where such numbers would lead to a Senate investigation.
@Timmmmmm These are only the suicides we hear about. Considering the shame associated with such an act I wouldn't be surprised to hear of many many more people killing themselves by other, less grandiose means.
@Johnny Rockets
Yeah try splitting that profit among 400,000 people...
@sonicyoof
holy shit. so many of you people don't understand the most basic of economic concepts.
"Meanwhile US companies don't even make anything they sell and actively look for the dirt-cheapest places to make their stuff."
supply and demand, idiot. there is a low supply of companies that can design an awesome gadget, but a high demand for them, so they can charge a lot. comparatively, there are many companies and workers who are willing to manufacture those goods at a low price.
@Johnny Rockets
You think TW/Chinese Factories make huge profit margins?
Sorry pal, allow me to introduce you to Walmart.
You're an idiot.
@Drybones5
The thing no one spends any time talking about is: why are these people there? Dinner? I know they're not there for dinner, although the company feeds everyone two meals a day.
Are they there to build a future with Foxconn? Do they see themselves as being there five years from now?
Oh hell no.
Most of the worker's there see themselves in and out in two years.
They're there for one reason: money.
Money lets them got to vocational school. Vocational school lets them take the rest of their nest egg and open a business. Or money lets them modernize the family farm. They're there to be exploited and exploit the situation to give themselves and their families a secure future.
But when you have so many folks all out counting down the dollars until they can get out you have other folks that realize they can exploit them for their own ends. People abusing authority to get sexual gratification or squeeze money out of their workers. Workers exploiting fellow workers to get out a few months early or with a fatter nest egg. Workers selling themselves sexually for similar reasons.
And of course when unlucky enough to get badly injured there are literally millions of people waiting to take their place so what incentive is there to rehabilitate injuries?
China is also one of the most racist countries on earth. Factories there regularly see racially motivated assaults and murders straight out of an episode of OZ.
In this little piece of hell on earth all it takes is one Dear One Hung Lo latter, one TV news report of another vocational school scandal, or one more demand to turn over their money/ass to dash hopes and turn dreams to depression and the need to end the hell.
By the way, Foxconn isn't just running workers in China. We have folks in El Paso, TX working for them now.
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa
You might want to read the article again. It's in Communist china not Taiwan.
@sweet greggo
Don't pay any attention -- some people just have a huge stick constantly shoved up their ass and they have to make other people pay for their ass pains.
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa
It's in China - Hon Hai/Foxconn is a Taiwan originated company, but their factories are mainly in China. The factory in question is in Shenzhen China.
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa
It's indeed China(PRC) - Hon Hai/Foxconn is a Taiwan originated company, but their main factories are in China. The factory in question is in Shenzhen China.
Taiwan's minimum wage is about 4.5x to those Shenzhen workers - not good, but probably much better. That's why all those work moved to Shenzhen/China though.
@Johnny Rockets Yep and its sad. Of all the companies, apple knows it, for this reason. http://j.mp/apple-child-labor-phone
@Johnny Rockets they ? ppl who are buying their products should be ashamed, they only do what they can do best, enslave and get rich, what is wrong about this american model of economy ?
Did he drown himself?
Time to show off the awesome ping pong table now.
@shishi
I really did LOL...
They should totally get time and a half for suffering injuries outside of the workplace.
@Bosco
This really gets my goat.
@Bosco
with up to a 160 hour working week, it's surprising that they have time to get injured outside work.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat_suicide
Just saying, Foxconn is in a tough position. All this coverage is certainly a factor in the tragic loss of life.
@rudiger
Too bad noone cares. Bring on the next iphone. Replace the worker and move on. Probably sucked at his job anyways. Looks like an opportunity for someone else who might appreciate the job, that we as consumers, are providing for them.
@cardfan
I like your attitude.
@rudiger
It's funny, cause if you're in a factory with 300,000 employees. Insurance wonks will say one death in witin 6months is par for the course.
I mean @300K people, there are more of these incidents in Trenton, NJ within 6mos. than this factory; and for a small city it has the same number of "residents" in a wider area.