Foxconn asks workers to sign letters promising not to commit suicides

26/5 After 10 suicides over poor work conditions, Apple manufacturer Foxconn in China asks workers to sign letters promising not to kill themselves.

What is happening? If it is because of poor work conditions, then improve it. If the Foxconn does not want to improve, then resign.

27/5 On Wednesday night, we heard a report of the 12th suicide and then on Thursday, there is a report of the 13th suicide.

Blogger: If in Malaysia, the boss will probably pray to the local deity, such as Dato Kong.

The Foxconn Technology Group (traditional Chinese: 富士康科技集團; simplified Chinese: 富士康科技集团; ) is a multinational business group anchored by the Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. (traditional Chinese: 鴻海精密工業股份有限公司; LSE: HHPD), a Taiwanese registered corporation headquartered in Tucheng, Taiwan. Foxconn is the largest manufacturer of electronics and computer components worldwide and mainly manufactures on contract to other companies. Among other things, Foxconn produces the Mac mini, the iPod, the iPad, and the iPhone for Apple Inc.; Intel-branded motherboards for Intel Corp.; various orders for American computer manufacturers Dell and Hewlett-Packard; motherboards for UK computer manufacturer Zoostorm; the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 for Sony; the Wii for Nintendo; the Xbox 360 for Microsoft, cell phones for Motorola, the Amazon Kindle, and Cisco equipment.[2][3][4][5]

Hon Hai was founded in 1974 as a manufacturer of plastic products (notably connectors) by Terry Gou, who remains as its CEO. It has been listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange since 1991.

The company opened its first manufacturing in Shenzhen, China in 1988, which is now the company's largest plant, with more than 330,000 employees.[3] Beginning in 1994, Foxconn purchased development centres in the United States and Japan. In 1997 and 1998, Foxconn established additional manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom and the United States. As of 2007, the company and its subsidiaries owned plants in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Mexico, Brazil, India, and Vietnam.[3]

Recently, the company has come under public scrutiny due to allegations of employee mistreatment. Eleven employees jumped from company buildings in suicide attempts during a five month period in 2010; only two survived.[6]

Employment practices

In June 2006, allegations of Foxconn operating abusive employment practices came to light as reported by Mail that were later denied by Foxconn.[7][8] Apple launched an investigation into these claims.[9] The result was that the claims of mistreatment of employees were judged by the Apple inspection team to be largely unfounded, but the inspection team also discovered that at peak production times some of the employees were working more hours than Apple's acceptable "Code of Conduct" limit of 60 hours and 25% of the time workers did not get at least one day off each week.[10] These same workers complained there were not enough overtime work during off peak periods. The auditing team also discovered that workers had been punished by being made to stand at attention for extended periods,[11] and junior employees were subjected to military-style drills.[12]

Foxconn admitted that it makes workers do an extra 80 hours overtime per month while the local labor law only permits 36 hours[13] Foxconn sued Wang You and Weng Bao of China Business News, the journalists responsible for revealing these practices, for $3.77 million and filed a successful court ruling to have the journalists' assets frozen.[14] Some disagree with the demands and the court ruling.[15] Reporters Without Borders sent a letter to Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs to implore Foxconn to drop the case.[16] Later Foxconn reduced the demand to a symbolic 1 yuan (12 U.S. cents), withdrew the request to freeze the journalists' personal assets and initiated legal proceedings to sue their employer.[citation needed]
[edit] Employee deaths

Between Jan 2010 to May 25 2010, eleven Foxconn employees attempted suicide, with nine deaths. Some reporters criticized long working hours with low pay and harsh management methods such as physical abuse towards mainland employees from Taiwanese managers. Some workers have complained about the monotonous work schedule and inhumane working relationships (such as one employee who had worked for half a year and yet did not know the names of his dormitory mates). [17]

As CEO of Hong Hai Precision Industry, Guo Taiming responded to the situation on May 25 2010. Because of a huge number of employees, management is difficult, he claimed, but they will improve the situation soon. Now Foxconn has formed specialized "employee care centers" and hired psychologists to offer counseling. However such a measure is doubted by the public. Some suggest that Foxconn should change its management systems, philosophy, and methods to create a more human orientated business atmosphere.[18]

On July 16, 2009, employee Sun Danyong allegedly committed suicide in Shenzhen, China by jumping off the 12th floor of his apartment building. [19] Initial reports from China indicate that he was under a lot of pressure because of investigations by Foxconn's Environmental, Safety and Loss Prevention Division regarding a missing prototype for a fourth generation iPhone. He was tasked with shipping 16 iPhone prototype units. However, one of the units went missing.

After filing his report on July 13, Chinese state-run Southern Metropolis Daily reported that his residence was searched by Foxconn employees and that he was beaten and interrogated by his superiors.[20] Sina Online News and ND Daily Newspaper both reported Foxconn's security division may have illegally searched his personal residence without a warrant, used unlawful confinement and possible physical force during the investigation.[21][22] The controversial incident placed questions regarding Apple's secrecy over upcoming releases of its products, where misplacing prototypes serve as a serious breach of protocol.

Foxconn has released an official statement apologizing to Sun Danyong's family. The manager in question was suspended and an official police investigation has begun.[23] An Apple spokesman told reporters that the company was "saddened by the tragic loss of this young employee."[20]
[edit] 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.[24]

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.
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