Foxconn Announces Pay Raise For Chinese Factory Workers
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Apple has denied allegations that workers in Foxconn Technology factories based in China are treated poorly. (Wikimedia Commons)
The announcement comes after a recent rise in public scrutiny of the company's practices. According to The New York Times, labor rights groups accused Foxconn of subjecting its workers to excessive overtime expectations, violating Chinese labor laws.
Last Monday, Apple said the Fair Labor Association would provide independent audits of supplier factories, the findings of which would be made public. Inspections began this week.
From The Times:
Apple and Foxconn, which is based in Taiwan, have strongly denied allegations that the workers are treated poorly. But Apple has acknowledged in its own audits that some of its suppliers in China violate Apple’s own code of conduct, with instances of child labor, forced overtime and unsafe working conditions and evidence that employees are sometimes exposed to hazardous and toxic chemicals.
In recent years, Foxconn facilities in China have experienced a series of worker suicides, and labor rights groups have documented varied abuses.
Last year, four workers were killed and about 20 were injured because of a dust explosion at a Chinese factory that was producing the Apple iPad.
According to Bloomberg News, the auditor at the Fair Labor Association said recently that he had already found “tons of issues” at Foxconn plants. He did not detail the problems.
A Foxconn spokesman could not be reached late Saturday.
Foxconn did comment, though, that the company is attempting to limit workers' total work hours, using these raises as compensation for the resulting reduced overtime, the Associated Press reported.
