Society

Foxconn raises workers' pay by 30% after suicides

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-03 06:44

Workers work on circuit boards at the Foxconn factory in Longhua township in southern Guangdong province. Bosses say they will increase salaries by 30 percent. [Edmond Tang / China Daily]

SHENZHEN - Taiwan's Foxconn Technology Group Wednesday announced a 30-percent pay increase for workers at all its China's mainland plants starting June.

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The basic salary for assembly line workers was raised from 900 yuan ($132) to 1,200 yuan per month, it said. The salaries of workers and foremen higher than 900 yuan were also boosted by at least 30 percent.

The world's largest electronics contract manufacturer said in a statement that the pay rise was attributed to rising consumer prices and living costs and its corporate performance.

The statement said Foxconn hoped the pay hike would help employees increase incomes while reducing overtime, and have enough time for leisure activities.

The pay rise came after 10 workers killed themselves and three attempted suicide at Foxconn's Shenzhen plant this year.

Foxconn is part of Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. and makes computers, game consoles and mobile phones for companies including Hewlett-Packard, Sony, Nokia, and Apple.

Of Foxconn's 800,000 employees in China's mainland, 430,000 are based in Shenzhen. They work shifts and live inside the massive factory complex.