Chinese Apple workers’ spate of suicides

June 6, 2010, Green Left Weekly
It’s been dubbed the “suicide express” by Chinese media, LabourStart.org said in an appeal to support workers in a Chinese factory at which there has been a spate of suicides by its workforce.
“Twelve workers, all between 18 and 24 years old, have committed suicide, at the production facilities of Foxconn Technology Group, a Taiwan-owned enterprise based in Shenzhen, southern China.

“Foxconn is a key supplier to various leading brands including Apple. International brands constantly drive down prices and demand shorter delivery time when placing orders.

“To secure contracts, Foxconn minimizes its cost to remain competitive, and transfers the pressure of the increasingly low profit margin to the frontline workers. Workers inevitably suffer as a result.

“Analyzing this vicious cycle of exploitation, we must realize that while Foxconn holds primary responsibility in exploiting the workers, global brands like Apple are just as much to blame for this race to the bottom game.

“Nine mainland Chinese and Hong Kong academics have issued an open statement calling on Foxconn and the government to do justice for the younger generation of migrant workers and unions and NGOs have organized protests in support of Foxconn workers in Hong Kong and Taiwan.”

[Reprinted from Green Left Weekly.]