FRONTPAGE Cheap Hardware, but at What Cost?

[mdcomp]

Cheap Hardware, but at What Cost?
by mdcomp

Everyone and their mother is out there searching for the best deal. First it was coupons in the newspaper, then came Black Friday, FatWallet, SlickDeals, even daily deals on twitter. Hell, someone got trampled to death at a Walmart last Black Friday, so is it worth sacrificing human life for a good deal?

Now do not misunderstand, I am by no means a human rights activist despite my love for U2, not to mention Jack Bauer is my hero. However once in a while a truly disturbing situation...

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[I.M.O.G.]

Pretty crazy numbers 9 suicides... Interesting in perspective with the national average I guess when there are that many employees there. Still makes my skin crawl from the comments I've seen from Foxconn's CEO - his empathy did not ring very true to me.

 

[wingman99]

That's a terrible thing, I did not know the employs were protesting at Foxconn

 

[Black_Paladin]

Quite sadly, that's actually old news. The suicides have reached 15 yesterday and a 16th person was spotted on the roof after the report (it is unknown yet if this person also jumped to his death or not).

You can read the whole report here:

http://gizmodo.com/5549222/foxconn-jumps-reach-15potential-16-spotted-on-the-roof

 

[wingman99]

I wounder with 15 possibly 16 employs jumping will Foxconn raise there prices.

 

[4GHZ_or_bust]

They will raise the price since they need to pay for corpse cleanup since these employees aren't getting paid enough to set up funeral expenses or anything else.

Ok a little crappy statement but Foxconn will need to improve a lot of things, and raising price on goods and put extra profit to worker's paycheck would help a lot.

 

[||Console||]

We are talking about china here 4ghz even If they raise the prices not like the workers will see any of it

 

[briansun1]

I know this is old, so don't go screamming necroposting please just read what I have to say(going right now because of western ignorence)

I just want to say that all you western nation dwellers have no idea what it is like to work in china Foxconn is consindered a really good company by the standerds of china. I just request that you really understand the situation before you criticize the company. thank you

and no I don't work for Foxconn, but I know this stuff becasue my dad was and still is the head maneger for that factory.

 

[EarthDog]

Ok.....you left us hanging...please, since your dad is the head manager there, explain what was misunderstood.

I also dont think anyone criticized the company, did they?

 

[madhatter256]

It's called American Media Sensationalism... Every factual detail in every news story is misconstrued, exaggerated or completely left out to build a story that attracts attention.

 

[EarthDog]

It's called American Media Sensationalism... Every factual detail in every news story is misconstrued, exaggerated or completely left out to build a story that attracts attention.

+1

...as well as every media outlet... not just the USA. Hell googling around a bit shows that the Chinese media did the same thing to Foxconn. Its not just the 'ignorant westerners'...

 

[briansun1]

They will raise the price since they need to pay for corpse cleanup since these employees aren't getting paid enough to set up funeral expenses or anything else.

Ok a little crappy statement but Foxconn will need to improve a lot of things, and raising price on goods and put extra profit to worker's paycheck would help a lot.

^^ the abouve is basicly wrong the workers at the factory get paid on averag more than at any other company

 

[briansun1]

what was missunderstoad is that foxconn already pays a pretty heft salary to the workers but they want more. company can't provide the increase to ALL the workers so they go on strike/ protest and being the strict laws in china the company can't fire them conditions escalate and are made worse by the media.. you see where I am going with this?

 

[briansun1]

+1

...as well as every media outlet... not just the USA. Hell googling around a bit shows that the Chinese media did the same thing to Foxconn. Its not just the 'ignorant westerners'...

Sorry should of said tipical western stereotyping. of couse not you guys
(I would hope) but most people have no idea what accualy hapens in china media included

 

[EarthDog]

None here.. but I generally take all news with a grain of salt.

 

[briansun1]

you should this was blown compleatly out of prepotion... you do not wan to now what other companys do to there workers. foxconn is axually a very ligite company.

Becasue if you did they would have to kill you...


(on a side note my dad works in the fan/heatsink department)

 

[Robert17]

None here.. but I generally take all news with a grain of salt.

My Dad told me, back in the early '60s, that half of what I would read in the newspaper would be incorrect or propaganda, and to question the other half. Far as I can tell, he's been right.

 

[m715]

There have been articles like that around for several years talking about incidents at Foxconn. But one thing I think you need to take into consideration is the massive scale at which it operates...420,000+ employees That's ~100,000 more people than the entire population of Iceland

 

[briansun1]

also another reson this exploded becasue of how massive the company is. thought if you do not want to by from foxcoon I sugest you not to buy intel as foxconn manufactues/invented the intel heatsink.

 

[EarthDog]

Or amd.. they use foxconn sockets too!