To meet iPhone 5 demand, Foxconn hires workers who then live in dorms with no electricity, running water

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To meet iPhone 5 demand, Foxconn hires workers who then live in dorms with no electricity, running w
Foxconn is not just the largest gadget manufacturer in the world, the Chinese company is also a gated empire living by its own rules with no journalists allowed to look at what’s happening inside. French reporters however managed to spy their way into the iPhone-making fortress that is Foxconn and saw few improvements for worker conditions in the dorms.

Apple promised to fix those issues earlier this year, but fast forward to almost the end of 2012, and little seems to be done.

A 60-minute special airing on France 2 TV station, Envoyé Spécial, showed an undercover look at Foxconn Zhengzhou. Dorms that look like raw projects with no electricity, elevators or running water are where employees live.

The undercover reporters did not meet any underage workers, but there were some of legal age who were forced by school administration to work at Foxconn. Monthly salaries grew earlier but employees are not paid the full sum but charges for house, insurance and food bring wages down.

Envoyé Spécial arrives at the logical conclusion that rushing to get production in line for the iPhone 5 is what’s causing all those problems. With a huge turnover, Foxconn has to recruit people from provinces, often on huge hiring campaigns.

Foxconn has now replied to press inquiries, basically saying it is not perfect, but trying to improve working conditions. We just hope this happens faster. Here is the company’s official statement on this:



source: Envoye Special via Engadget

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