Foxconn suicides
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Article ImagesThe 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>
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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 | 姓李[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 | 姓刘[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 | 姓宁 | 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 | 姓贺[25] | Male | 23 | 26 May 2010 | Fell from building[33] | unknown |
Mr. Chen | 姓陈[25] | Male | 25 | 27 May 2010 | Suicide | died[25] |
Mr. Liu | 姓刘 | 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 | 蔡XX | 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]
- Sacom.hk Workers as Machines: Military Management in Foxconn. Report from Hong Kong-based non-profit Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM)
- Deconstructing Foxconn video from Chinese University of Hong Kong professor Jack Qiu
See also
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c d e f Foxconn factories are labour camps: report. South China Morning Post. Oct. 11, 2010.
- ^ a b Pomfret, James (Fri Nov 5, 2010 6:05am EDT). "Foxconn worker plunges to death at China plant: report". Reuters.
- ^ "Media gets its facts wrong". ZDNet. September 13, 2011.
- ^ 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.
- ^ http://www.economist.com/node/16231588
- ^ a b Sacom.hk. "Sacom.hk." Workers as Machines: Military Management in Foxconn. Retrieved on 2010-12-18.
- ^ a b c Suicides at Foxconn: Light and Death economist.com, May 27, 2010
- ^ 富士康管治双重标准 员工有冤上诉无门
- ^ Moore, Malcolm (2010-05-16). "What has triggered the suicide cluster at Foxconn? – Telegraph Blogs". London: Blogs.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
- ^ "Economics Focus: Socialist Workers". The Economist. June 10, 2010.
- ^ "Strikes signal end to cheap labor". China Daily. June 3, 2010. Retrieved Jun. 25, 2010.
- ^ "More Foxconn Suicides: Reports of 14, 15, & 16th Jumpings". China Smack. September 13, 2011.
- ^ Foxconn suspends operation at a facility in India reuters.com, Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:12pm EDT
- ^ Foxconn to raise wages again at China plant reuters.com, Fri Oct 1, 2010 8:42am EDT
- ^ Foxconn Rallies Workers, Leaves Suicide Nets in Place (Updated) wired.com's Epicenter blog, August 18, 2010
- ^ "Chinese Factory asks for 'no suicide' vow". MSNBC. 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Suicides at Foxconn: Light and Death". 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
- ^ "[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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "[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.
- ^ Payout over man's iPhone suicide. He Huifeng. South China Morning Post. Hong Kong: Jul 28, 2009. pg. 4
- ^ a b IPhone Maker in China Is Under Fire After a Suicide nytimes.com, July 26, 2009
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Eastweek magazine. Vol 334. 6 June 2010 issue. pg 13.
- ^ Sina.com. "Sina.com." 富士康馬向前系墜亡 警方不予立案. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Behind the shiny screen ZDNet.com.au, December 14th, 2010
- ^ 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.
- ^ Anhuinews.com. "Anhuinews.com." 家屬稱梁超是“被自殺”. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Yahoo.com. "Yahoo.com." 富士康第12跳確認為自殺. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ^ "Another Foxconn worker falls to death in China". BBC News. 2010-07-20.
- ^ a b "Worker Death Tally Rises at Foxconn China". ABC News. 2010-07-21. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
- ^ Another suicide as Foxconn faces more flak. Zhuang Pinghui. South China Morning Post. Hong Kong: Nov 6, 2010.
- ^ Pomfret, James (2010-11-05). "Foxconn worker plunges to death at China plant: report". Reuters.
- ^ a b "Foxconn Suicide Returns, Another Foxconn Employee Falls to Death (updated with video!)".
- ^ http://micgadget.com/10864/new-suicide-from-foxconn-worker-jumped-because-of-insult/
- ^ Huang, Cary (May 27, 2011). "Foxconn worker in Chengdu suicide". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. p. pg. 6. ; ;
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Foxconn employee jumps to his death in Shenzhen". Taipei Times. 2011-07-29. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
- ^ "Cna English News". Focustaiwan.tw. 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Worker commits suicide at Foxconn plant". China Daily. 2011-11-25. Retrieved 2011-11-25.