Foxconn respondes to reports of abuse in China

Foxconn has issued a response today to the allegations of violence and worker abuse in its plants in a recently leaked study. In a statement sent out early on Tuesday, the Apple iPhone maker and Dell and HP supplier these allegations of long working hours, militaristic work culture and violence towards workers are unsubstantiated. In the past, Foxconn has promised to improve working conditions and raise the minimum wage at its plants after a number of worker suicides.

"Foxconn Technology Group strongly and categorically rejects reports in the Chinese and international media that are attributed to research by academics and students alleging worker abuse, illegal labor practices, and unsafe working conditions at our operations in China," read an excerpt from the statement.

A report from rights group Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) alleged much of the staff at Foxconn were paid just more than minimum wage despite promises to bump up monthly wages to nearly 2,000 yuan renminbi ($300) by October. Foxconn said 85 percent of its workforce in China got a raise on October 1, with the remaining 15 percent needing to go through the necessary evaluations in order to be eligible for the raise.

The report also maintains that Foxconn parent Hon Hai is hiring young students and interns who have no real rights as workers and can be paid low wages. Hon Hai replied that only about 7.6 percent of its workforce is made up of interns and those working overtime volunteered to do so. Foxconn is working on eliminating overtime for students.

SACOM concluded in its report that the customers of Foxconn, such as Apple, need to raise the prices of their products to allow manufacturers to raise living wages for its workers.

By Electronista Staff