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Foxconn suicides

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The Foxconn suicides occurred between January and November, 2010, when eighteen[1] Foxconn employees attempted suicide with fourteen deaths.[1][2][3] The suicide rate at Foxconn is less than half of the national rate, but even that source mentions it's due to a lower suicide rate amongst younger adults.[4] The suicides drew media attention, and employment practices at Foxconn, a large contract manufacturer, were investigated by several of its customers including Apple, Dell and HP, fearing bad press of their own.[5][6] Foxconn is a major manufacturer catering to famous-name brands including Apple, Dell, HP, Motorola, Nintendo, Sony and Nokia.[5][7]

The suicides prompted 20 Chinese universities to compile a report on Foxconn, which they decried as a labour camp.[2] Other experts have claimed that employees are treated comparatively well at Foxconn,[8] but news reports have been critical. Long working hours,[8] discrimination of mainland Chinese workers by their Taiwanese coworkers,[9] and a lack of working relationships[10] have all been cited as potential causes.

The Foxconn deaths may have been a product of economic conditions in China during 2010. These conditions also led to several major strike actions at high-profile manufacturers in China. The Lewisian turning-point and the decline in the surplus Chinese labour-pool are two potential macro-economic factors.[11][12] The payment of a life insurance and pension[13] may have also been a factor.

In response, Foxconn substantially increased wages for its Shenzhen factory workforce,[14][15] installed suicide-prevention netting,[16] and asked employees to sign no-suicide pledges.[8][17] Workers were also forced to sign a legally binding document guaranteeing that they and their descendants would not sue the company as a result of unexpected death, self-injury, or suicide.[18]

Suicides

With over 800,000 employees, Foxconn's suicide count is actually lower the Chinese national average[19] of 22.23 per 100,000. Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).

Pre-2010

While the 2010 incidents were remarkable for their extent, the company has suffered other employee suicides as well.

English name Chinese name Gender Age Suicide attempt date Description Status
Ms. Hou Unknown; Family name: 侯 Female 19 18 Jun 2007 Hanged herself in a company bathroom. Investigators ruled the death to be a suicide.[20][21] died
Liu Bing 刘兵 Male 21 01 Sep 2007 Died suddenly two hours after being discharged from work[22] died
Mr. Li Unknown; Family name: 李 Male 28 16 Mar 2008 Circumstances unknown unknown
Sun Dan-yong 孙丹勇 Male 25 16 Jul 2009 Fell from apartment building[21][23] after losing an iPhone prototype in his possession.[24] Prior to death, he was beaten and his residence searched by Foxconn employees.[24] died

2010

An estimate of eighteen Foxconn employees attempted suicide in 2010,[1] with fourteen deaths.[1][2][3]

English name Chinese name Gender Age Suicide attempt date Description Status
Ma Xiang-qian 马向前[25] Male 19 23 Jan 2010 Fell from building[26] unknown
Mr. Li Unknown; Family name: 李[25] Male 20+ 11 Mar 2010 Fell from building[27] unknown
Tian Yu 田玉[25] Female 17 17 Mar 2010 Fell from building.[27] Paralyzed from waist down[1]
Mr. Lau Unknown; Family name: 刘[25] Male 23 29 Mar 2010 Fell from building[27] unknown
Rao Shu-qin 饶淑琴 Female 19 06 Apr 2010 Fell from building[27]
Ms. Ling Unknown; Family name: 宁 Female 18 07 Apr 2010 Fell from building.[27] unknown
Lu Xin 卢新[25] Male 24 6 May 2010 Fell from building[27] died[28]
Zhu Chen-ming 祝晨明[25] Female 24 11 May 2010 Fell from building[29] unknown
Liang Chao 梁超[25] Male 21 14 May 2010 Fell from building[30] unknown
Nan Gan 南刚[25] Male 21 21 May 2010 Fell from building[31] unknown
Li Hai 李海 Male 19 25 May 2010 Fell from building[32] died
Mr. He Unknown; Family name: 贺[25] Male 23 26 May 2010 Fell from building[33] unknown
Mr. Chen Unknown; Family name: 陈[25] Male 25 27 May 2010 Suicide died[25]
Mr. Liu Unknown; Family name: 刘 Male 18 20 Jul 2010 Fell from the sixth floor of a dormitory building[34][35] died[35]
Unknown Unknown Male 23[36] 05 Nov 2010 Fell from building[37][38] died[38]

2011

English name Chinese name Gender Age Suicide attempt date Description Status
Wang Ling unknown Female 25 7 Jan 2011 Jumped from building after being sent to a psychiatric hospital.[39]
Unknown unknown Male 20 26 May 2011 Fell from building. Died at Chengdu Pi County Deyuan died[40][41]
Mr. Cai Unknown; Family name: 蔡 Male 21 18 July 2011 Fell from building at Shenzhen plant. Only started working since June 27, 2011. died[42][43][44]
Li Rongying unknown Female 20 23 November 2011 Jumped from fourth floor of a building over disappointment in a relationship. died[45]

Report

An 83 page report detailing the Foxconn suicides and labor conditions was produced by 20 universities in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China.[2] Interviews of 1,800 Foxconn workers at 12 factories found evidence of illegal overtime and failure to report accidents.[2] The report also criticized Foxconn's management style, which it called inhumane and abusive.[2]

A Hong Kong-based non-profit organization, Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour, also produced a report on Foxconn employee mistreatment.[7]

In the media

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Struggle for Foxconn girl who wanted to die. Mimi Lau in Wuhan, Hubei. South China Morning Post. Dec 15, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Foxconn factories are labour camps: report. South China Morning Post. Oct. 11, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Pomfret, James (Fri Nov 5, 2010 6:05am EDT). "Foxconn worker plunges to death at China plant: report". Reuters. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Media gets its facts wrong". ZDNet. September 13, 2011.
  5. ^ a b Jason Dean (27 May 2010). "Apple, H-P to Examine Asian Supplier After String of Deaths at Factory". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  6. ^ http://www.economist.com/node/16231588
  7. ^ a b Sacom.hk. "Sacom.hk." Workers as Machines: Military Management in Foxconn. Retrieved on 2010-12-18.
  8. ^ a b c Suicides at Foxconn: Light and Death economist.com, May 27, 2010
  9. ^ 富士康管治双重标准 员工有冤上诉无门
  10. ^ Moore, Malcolm (2010-05-16). "What has triggered the suicide cluster at Foxconn? – Telegraph Blogs". London: Blogs.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  11. ^ "Economics Focus: Socialist Workers". The Economist. June 10, 2010.
  12. ^ "Strikes signal end to cheap labor". China Daily. June 3, 2010. Retrieved Jun. 25, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. ^ "More Foxconn Suicides: Reports of 14, 15, & 16th Jumpings". China Smack. September 13, 2011.
  14. ^ Foxconn suspends operation at a facility in India reuters.com, Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:12pm EDT
  15. ^ Foxconn to raise wages again at China plant reuters.com, Fri Oct 1, 2010 8:42am EDT
  16. ^ Foxconn Rallies Workers, Leaves Suicide Nets in Place (Updated) wired.com's Epicenter blog, August 18, 2010
  17. ^ "Chinese Factory asks for 'no suicide' vow". MSNBC. 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  18. ^ Malone, Andrew; Jones, Richard (2010-12-06). "Revealed: Inside the Chinese Suicide Sweatshop Where Workers Toil in 34-Hour Shifts To Make Your iPod". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 2012-02-07.
  19. ^ "Suicides at Foxconn: Light and Death". 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
  20. ^ "[血债二]2007年6月18日 富士康一名女工在厕所上吊自杀-百度和讯财经网". Finance.baidu.com. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  21. ^ a b "富士康员工意外事件频发_新民网_为民分忧 与民同乐". News.xinmin.cn. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  22. ^ "[血债一]2007年9月1日：富士康员工辞工两小时后突然死亡 -股票频道-和讯网". Stock.hexun.com. 2009-02-26. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  23. ^ Payout over man's iPhone suicide. He Huifeng. South China Morning Post. Hong Kong: Jul 28, 2009. pg. 4
  24. ^ a b IPhone Maker in China Is Under Fire After a Suicide nytimes.com, July 26, 2009
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Eastweek magazine. Vol 334. 6 June 2010 issue. pg 13.
  26. ^ Sina.com. "Sina.com." 富士康馬向前系墜亡 警方不予立案. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
  27. ^ a b c d e f Wenweipo.com. "Wenweipo.com." 深陷「跳樓門」富士康首度檢討. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
  28. ^ Behind the shiny screen ZDNet.com.au, December 14th, 2010
  29. ^ Nownews.com. "Nownews.com." 富士康重點培訓幹部　盧新無法忘情音樂選擇自殺. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
  30. ^ Anhuinews.com. "Anhuinews.com." 家屬稱梁超是“被自殺”. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
  31. ^ Wenweipo.com. "Wenweipo.com." 富士康員工最怕領導罵 曾被告知跳樓賠10萬. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
  32. ^ Chinanews.com.cn. "Chinanews.com.cn." 富士康發生今年“第11跳” 死者宿舍內留下遺書. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
  33. ^ Yahoo.com. "Yahoo.com." 富士康第12跳確認為自殺. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
  34. ^ "Another Foxconn worker falls to death in China". BBC News. 2010-07-20.
  35. ^ a b "Worker Death Tally Rises at Foxconn China". ABC News. 2010-07-21. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
  36. ^ Another suicide as Foxconn faces more flak. Zhuang Pinghui. South China Morning Post. Hong Kong: Nov 6, 2010.
  37. ^ Pomfret, James (2010-11-05). "Foxconn worker plunges to death at China plant: report". Reuters.
  38. ^ a b "Foxconn Suicide Returns, Another Foxconn Employee Falls to Death (updated with video!)".
  39. ^ http://micgadget.com/10864/new-suicide-from-foxconn-worker-jumped-because-of-insult/
  40. ^ Huang, Cary (May 27, 2011). "Foxconn worker in Chengdu suicide". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. p. pg. 6. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |page= has extra text (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  41. ^ "消息称富士康成都一员工5月26日跳楼身亡_雅虎科技". Tech.cn.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
  42. ^ "Foxconn employee jumps to his death in Shenzhen". Taipei Times. 2011-07-29. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  43. ^ "Cna English News". Focustaiwan.tw. 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  44. ^ "深圳富士康一名21岁男性员工18日坠楼身亡-《财经网》". Caijing.com.cn. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  45. ^ "Worker commits suicide at Foxconn plant". China Daily. 2011-11-25. Retrieved 2011-11-25.
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