Andre Yoskowitz
11 Jan 2012 18:34
Allegedly, 300 disgruntled workers at Foxconn's Technology Park in Wuhan, China threatened to commit suicide today by jumping off a building.
The factory builds parts used in the Xbox 360.
Apparently the threats came after a payment dispute with their boss. After asking for a raise last week, the boss told them to quit with a small severance or continue to work without a raise. Most of the workers took the severance but the company reportedly then reneged on the deal, not paying them the extra compensation and not giving them their jobs back.
Foxconn had a different statement, however, saying 150 employees took part "in a workplace incident" over being transferred to a different unit within the same massive campus. The company says Foxconn officials and government representatives resolved the issue, with 45 employees resigning and the rest staying on.
Microsoft released a statement, as well: "Microsoft takes working conditions in the factories that manufacture its products very seriously, and we are currently investigating this issue. We have a stringent Vendor Code of Conduct that spells out our expectations, and we monitor working conditions closely on an ongoing basis and address issues as they emerge. Microsoft is committed to the fair treatment and safety of workers employed by our vendors, and to ensuring conformance with Microsoft policy."
Foxconn is notorious for poor working conditions and was a daily headline in the last few years as workers committed suicide to have their families collect death compensation that was worth over 10 years of work pay. The company has even installed nets around their campuses to catch would-be jumpers.