manufacturer

We’ve reported on the harsh working conditions at Foxconn — which have allegedly driven some workers to commit suicide — and now the firm is asking its workers to sign pledges stating that they will not hold Foxconn responsible if they commit suicide, Daily Mail says. While translations may vary, the letter to employees reportedly says:

In the event of non-accidental injuries (including suicide, self mutilation, etc.), I agree that the company has acted properly in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and will not sue the company, bring excessive demands, take drastic actions that would damage the company’s reputation or cause trouble that would hurt normal operations.

Foxconn, which manufacturers electronics for Apple, HP, Nokia, Palm, Sony, and others, was covered in a study performed by the Centre for Research on Multinational Companies and Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM). To Foxconn’s credit, SACOM offered some praise to Foxconn for meeting China’s overtime limits: “Foxconn was the only supplier out of those studied that set a target to meet the government-mandated maximum overtime of 36 hours per month within 2011,” the report said. However, it also noted that one employee worked 98 hours of overtime in one month, and others were required to work all but one day during a 13-day long iPad manufacturing binge. Worse yet, those who didn’t meet expectations were apparently met with public humiliation or forced to stand while working 12-hour shifts. More →