Tenth Suicidal Death This Year In Chinese Technical Facility
Posted: Wednesday, June 02, 2010
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
According to an article in the Beijing Review, there have been twelve suicides or attempted suicides this year in the huge complex of the Foxconn Technology Group located in Shenzhen China. Two survived their efforts but received serious injuries.
This latest death occurred on the night of May 27 at about 11:20 P.M. When an employee jumped to his death from a dormitory window located within the company complex.
Employees work shifts and live within the complex in company quarters. It is from these dormitories the suicide jumps occur.
Spokesmen for the company stated that nine of the first eleven persons who jumped were fairly new employees, under 6 months with the company. So one of the measures they are currently taking to stem this public relations nightmare is to have all new employees undergo a psychological examination. But they are also taking many other steps besides.
They are installing nets around each of the multi-story dormitories in an effort to foil any other attempts. They also have approximately 100 counselors in training to counsel the employees and the Foxconn Chairman, Terry Gou says they hope to increase that to 1,000 within another month.
He also added that they are going to give a salary adjustment to the employees in a couple of weeks.
The secretary general of the Shenzhen Municipal government said the reasons behind the suicides are varied and complex. He added that many of the employees are young and unaccustomed to a working environment plus different living arrangements and find the transition difficult. They were away from their hometown and without close loved ones.
Chairman Gou stated that they were trying to do all they could to ensure no further such instances will occur. He also added that he has been unable to sleep nights because of his concerns over the suicides. They are going to fund a hospital facility for the complex with professional therapists to help deal with the employee dissatisfactions.
The government, the police and others are cooperating to help resolve the problems and many other things are being undertaken.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)Hi Joel.I wonder how the rate of suicide compares to the population as a whole. It's sad that so many suicides have happened at this one company and they have to be worried about it. But 800,000 is a lot of employees and 12 of them (0.000015%) have taken their own lives.As always you bring the interesting news to our attention and manage to get me thinking and wondering at the same time.DianneHi Dianne, you know, I thought of that as I was writing this. That is almost one million people. Makes the numbers seem a little more realistic doesn't it? But actually, I think it is still quite high. Take Birmingham for instance, in the complex it would be somewhat more than that, but I don't read of a suicide anything like 10 or 12 times in 6 months. But mainly, it is embarrassing to the company. Thanks for commenting.
The working situation sounds like such a nightmare, I'm not suprised people commit suicide, but it was good to read that these tragedies are being taken seriously.
Ah, the worker ants are rebelling in the only way they can. Powerless to change the culture of more.
I think E may be right it is a form of rebellion because they may be afraid to vocalize the things that really bother them. Fear rears it's ugly head in so many forms.Interesting article Joel.Thanks for your comment Linda. Well, we really don't know how those people are treated. Back a few year ago, some parents would virtually turn their young kids (8-10 years old) over to some of those industries and they would work them like slaves, and the pittance of pay would go to the parents! I think world opinion put a stop to most of that though.I guess government regulation regarding the work place is good. I like big government, they look out for me the little guy. Big business looks out for the bottom line only, ie BP.Then maybe you should move to China, huh?How bout I stay here and work to change the mammonistic culture.
Suicide is a terrible, terrible waste. Good idea about the nets...I wonder though if they are really doing it themselves or if there is a more sinister issue at workI doubt there is anything else going on, but this is bad enough. If they are compelled to do this work, I can possibly understand it.I was drafted into the Army at the ripe old age of 20, first time away from my home for any period of time, it was very miserable and thre was a young man here and there back then that did commit suicide. One fellow in my own outfit purposely shot himself in the foot to get out. He was court martialed, but I suspect he got out. Most of us simply did what we were told and come out with an honorable discharge.Yes, I imagine that basically, E. Rock is correct, yet I cannot imagine such. Are they bound there...cannot they just walk away?
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