Just in: 3D printing goes mainstream with Stratasys' $403m MakerBot buy

Topic: Apple

Foxconn 'working conditions' row fails to deter prospective workers

Summary: Despite the bad press around Foxconn's factories in China, thousands continue to line up for jobs at the factory in Zhengzhou.

Hana Stewart-Smith

By Hana Stewart-Smith for Unboxing Asia |

Yesterday, the streets outside one labour agency in Zhengzhou were filled with thousands of hopefuls, all lining up for a chance to work at Foxconn.

Foxconn, the company that manufactures products for Apple, Dell, Microsoft, amongst others, is currently working to double it's workforce at it's Zhengzhou facility. The company is looking to increase production at the plant, hoping to scale up by around 100,000 additional employees.

An advertisement posted for these new positions in Zhengzhou includes a basic salary of 1650 Yuan ($261) -- a salary that does not seem to Western eyes impressive enough to warrant such a large crowd.

But Foxconn also provides housing in the form of dormitories, and food, which might sweeten the deal somewhat.

The lines stretched up to 200 meters, according to reports, and most of the applicants were male -- a mixture of candidates with experience, and those fresh out of education.

Despite Foxconn being at the heart of controversies in the West, it seems that employment at the company is still an attractive prospect for young Chinese job-seekers. Foxconn has been under fire over poor working conditions, staff suicides and an explosion that killed three in a Chengdu factory last year.

After 300 workers threatened to commit mass suicide at its Wuhan plant over pay in January, many of those brands have been questioned over their culpability.

The New York Times recently published an in-depth look at Foxconn's working practices, and in turn the pressures from the Western tech industry that ultimately contributes to poor working conditions and negligence for employees at factories like Foxconn.

The report also levelled accusations at Apple, and the tech industry as a whole, of ignoring the human cost to modern technology. Apple chief executive Tim Cook strongly refuted these claims in a lengthy letter to his employees, commenting that: "We care about every worker in our supply chain."

Image source: Flickr.

Related:

Topics: Apple, Dell, Microsoft, China, IT Employment

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

11 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • Compared to what?

    Yes it "seems bad to western eyes". But compared to what? The article linked said most in line had prior experience and some were college graduates. When I read these articles I cannot help but wonder if tech companies are not the ONLY ones taking advantage of the situation of workers in China to sell stuff (hint, hint).
    oncall
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Foxconn 'working conditions' row fails to deter prospective workers

    Take a look here, puts it in perspective a bit, by Chinese standards they offer a pretty good salary & free food & accommodation ads a fair bit to the package value. http://www.worldsalaries.org/china.shtml
    AndyPagin
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Foxconn 'working conditions' row fails to deter prospective workers

    So are you saying that because it could be worse, that it isn't that bad?
    Win8AnUglyDisaster
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Foxconn 'working conditions' row fails to deter prospective workers

      @johndow1 Compared to other jobs [i]in China[/i] then yes it's not that bad. Here's the thing: all of us are looking at this through the perspective of our western culture and way of life - they have an entirely different culture and way of life.
      athynz
      Reply Vote

  • Can not apply US economy to China

    A simple Google search shows the minimum wage for the Zhengzhou is 1080 Yuan so 1650 Yuan is a great deal. In a percentage, it about the same ration for an experienced electronic assembler in the US, around $10.00 to $13.00 USD from Oregon minimum wage of $8.50 usd.
    Scatcatpdx
    Reply Vote

  • Just goes to show ya:)

    The question is how deap doe the benefits go? They get rent free and food but what does that whole "rent" thing include? Power? I have to pay for that in addition to rent. Internet? Again I have to pay for that as well as rent. Heat? Again it costs me. Minus expenses just about anything would be good pay:). Then one has to consider just what is the actual cost of living in China? Does not matter what I can or can not purchase here in the stated but what I can purchase living in China especially minus normal living expenses.

    Pagan jim
    James Quinn
    Reply Vote

  • Reality vs Media "Red-Wash"

    It's pretty obvious reality in China doesn't match our media's "Red-Wash". Scenes like this is very common for Foxconn, known for paying above industry average. Everyday 10,000 people line up at Foxconn's Shenzhen factory for interviews:

    http://www.54op.net/upfiles/201102/20110221071400369.jpg

    These people are not masochists. Reality is 900 million Chinese still live in 3rd world poverty. Where's the sympathy for these workers who left their unheated, unplumbed, mao era huts for better life?

    All Apple has to do is have a sale, people's self-righteousness will disappear, and rush the stores like the folks who wants to work for Foxconn.
    ChasL
    Reply Vote

    • It should be obvious to all by now

      @ChasL

      This is NOT about "working conditions in China". Where are the articles showing any concern for the remaining 1 BILLION Chinese not employed by Foxconn? Someones political agenda is being pushed. This IS about selling news and painting corporations as evil in an election year.
      oncall
      Reply Vote

      • There are those who suspect...

        @oncall <br>...that our financial aristocracy would like it very much if working conditions in the U.S. looked a lot more like working conditions in China (or even like those in the U.S. during the "golden age" of the late 19th century).<br><br>The only problem with that, of course, is that every employee is also a consumer and the less he makes, the less he has to spend; and the longer hours he works, the less time he has to do things like raise a family, or care for his home (or himself), or interact with his neighbors.
        John L. Ries
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Foxconn 'working conditions' row fails to deter prospective workers

        John L. Ries: Agreed.

        and you said, "...the less he makes, the less he has to spend; and the longer hours he works, the less time he has to do things like raise a family, or care for his home (or himself), or interact with his neighbors."

        and the less time he has to follow politics or to become politically active, which is how our "financial aristocracy" and our governing aristocracy would like it.
        sissy sue
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Foxconn 'working conditions' row fails to deter prospective workers

    Compared to subsistence farming, Foxconn jobs are a dream come true. What most don't realize is working in a sweatshop can be a big step up to many of the worlds people.
    hayneiii@...
    Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close