Foxconn workers unhappy with shorter working weeks

[(Spork)]

http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/30/2914099/foxconn-workers-unhappy-overtime-limits

Foxconn might have been forced to make some changes as its labor conditions were put under the spotlight by the media, but one group seems less than happy with thelimitations put upon working hours: the workers themselves. In interviews with Reuters, employees have expressed concern that the new 36-hour per month limit will negatively affect their pay packet. One worker, 25-year-old Chen Yamei, said that "we are here to work and not to play, so our income is very important," and that a figure closer to 60 hours would be more reasonable.

"WE ARE HERE TO WORK AND NOT TO PLAY, SO OUR INCOME IS VERY IMPORTANT."

While the rights of workers in China might be a hot topic right now, the employees' comments put a slightly different slant on the subject ? the safety of workers should be paramount, but is it right to look at employment conditions without considering the work ethic of the people? Whether the employees' concerns are warranted or not remains to be seen, but Foxconn has said that it will provide compensation that will protect workers' incomes ? with the record profits it announced earlier this week, it's clear that the company can afford it.

[Memphis]

http://www.theverge....overtime-limits

Foxconn might have been forced to make some changes as its labor conditions were put under the spotlight by the media, but one group seems less than happy with thelimitations put upon working hours: the workers themselves. In interviews with Reuters, employees have expressed concern that the new 36-hour per month limit will negatively affect their pay packet. One worker, 25-year-old Chen Yamei, said that "we are here to work and not to play, so our income is very important," and that a figure closer to 60 hours would be more reasonable.

"WE ARE HERE TO WORK AND NOT TO PLAY, SO OUR INCOME IS VERY IMPORTANT."

While the rights of workers in China might be a hot topic right now, the employees' comments put a slightly different slant on the subject ? the safety of workers should be paramount, but is it right to look at employment conditions without considering the work ethic of the people? Whether the employees' concerns are warranted or not remains to be seen, but Foxconn has said that it will provide compensation that will protect workers' incomes ? with the record profits it announced earlier this week, it's clear that the company can afford it.

hmm I work 60 hours or so a week when I am not in school.

[torrentthief]

hmm I work 60 hours or so a week when I am not in school.

some were doing upto 70hrs overtime on top of that and often not being paid for the overtime.

[Miuku.]

We are here to get exploited like mad and not to be treated as humans!

[Amarok]

Some people LIKE to work. And some people HAVE TO work long hours to survive.

[c3ntury]

Some people LIKE to work. And some people HAVE TO work long hours to survive.

I don't think they would work 70 hour weeks, unless they hadn't a choice. So that first statement is inaccurate.

[CentralDogma]

The right thing to do would be to increase their wages to compensate for the loss of overtime.

[Growled Member]

Many of our employees want overtime because that is how they make their money. No surprise here. So much for all the do-gooders.

[FloatingFatMan]

^ The do-gooders only ever really care about preening their own ego's. They don't TRULY give a **** about the guy they're "helping", who now has to say "Great, Thanks for the help. Now how am I going to feed my family?"

[Boz]

^ The do-gooders only ever really care about preening their own ego's. They don't TRULY give a **** about the guy they're "helping", who now has to say "Great, Thanks for the help. Now how am I going to feed my family?"

That's the problem of their society. Considering how much money Foxconn makes from Apple and others they can increase the wages and have the same effect as having those employees work insane hours at 30 cents an hour or whatever.

But no, Foxconn was slaving out their employees and pushing them to get them working insane hours for peanuts and now when they are forced to not do that, they still keep the same insane wages but lowered the hours.

And I don't really get what these workers want. First they were killing themselves and now when the whole world raised the issue of them being treated like slaves they now want to go back doing stuff as they did.

[FloatingFatMan]

What they want is FAIR pay for FAIR hours, like we have. You don't fix such problems by forcing your own societal values on foreign companies; you have to fix the society itself.

[M_Lyons10]

Many of our employees want overtime because that is how they make their money. No surprise here. So much for all the do-gooders.

Same here. Some people take all the overtime they can get. And to be honest, who came up with this 36 hour per month figure? Seems rather silly to me...

[M_Lyons10]

What they want is FAIR pay for FAIR hours, like we have. You don't fix such problems by forcing your own societal values on foreign companies; you have to fix the society itself.

+1 to that.

[jakem1]

What they want is FAIR pay for FAIR hours, like we have. You don't fix such problems by forcing your own societal values on foreign companies; you have to fix the society itself.

There's no reason why you can't target key companies like Foxconn and force change that way. Once the workers at Foxconn are paid properly and won other protections then other workers will demand the same rights. We should be supporting that, not moaning that a Macbook is going to cost more.

[Rippleman]

Same here. Some people take all the overtime they can get. And to be honest, who came up with this 36 hour per month figure? Seems rather silly to me...

guessing misprint... week-> month

[John S. Veteran]

Same here. Some people take all the overtime they can get. And to be honest, who came up with this 36 hour per month figure? Seems rather silly to me...

looks like they fixed the article

employees have expressed concern that the new 36-hour per month overtime limit will negatively affect their pay packet.

[Memphis]

looks like they fixed the article

Dangs, at my job I do 2 to 3 shifts of OT a week which is 60 hours min a month of OT. Thats pathetic that their laws on OT are now stricter than my american workplace. I still get 2 days off a week two. I will do 2 16 hour shifts and 3 8 hour shifts. a week on average. FAT paycheck. If such a policy was instituted at my workplace a third of the staff would quit and move to another job.