Blog #38

Here is the article I chose.

I decided on this article because we have been talking a lot about Foxconn. I was first exposed to Foxconn when we read an article about Apple and where their products are made. It talked about the cost of production and how other countries are able to produce products faster and for a cheaper rate. But Foxconn seemed to be overworking and not fairly treating their employees. Employees reportedly had to work two shifts in a row, which is upwards, if not, twenty-four hours. They were also not paid for overtime and had to live on work grounds. The work environment reached such an extreme that Foxconn had to put nets around the buildings to prevent any further suicides. There had been more than thirteen in the previous year.

Having already been familiar with Foxconn I was intrigued to read more about them. This article talks about workers receiving a pay increase. The article says, "Foxconn said that salaries for many workers would immediately jump by 16 to 25 percent, to about $400 a month, before overtime." First off I hope that the employees will actually receive this pay raise. I cannot fully trust Foxconn to do what they say. It seems that they have not been treating their employees fairly at all. So how do I know that this is true? How do I know that this isn't a publicity stunt to try and take some heat off of their back? I can only hope that they stay true to their word. Second off, if this is a pay increase you can clearly see that these employees do not make a lot of money a month-at all. Only four hundred dollars a month for continuous work on a daily bases seems like an incredibly little amount. That amount does not seem fair at all. Although I am not familiar with labor laws in China.

The article also talked about overtime hours. "The company also said it would reduce overtime hours at its factories." If this is true than that is great. From the articles I have read and information I gathered it appeared that the employees were overworked, so to hear that they are going to reduce that is a relief.

Overall I hope that Foxconn is actually going to raise the salary of their employees and keep them from working overtime. These employees deserve the right to get paid for their hard work and to not be overworked without correct compensation.

Here is an article that supports my curiosity of the motives behind the raises and overtime cut backs. It seems that many Western citizens are concerned over the conditions Foxconn employees are subjected to. It raises the question of the motive behind these new changes.

Some questions for future discussion are: Can we as consumers agree or accept higher prices of the products we buy in order to provide workers in factories in foreign countries with more pay and better working conditions? Can companies give up more of their profit to ensure a safe working environment and give up the greed they have?