Foxconn Announces Additional Wage Hike

The Taiwanese technology giant Foxconn—troubled by a series of suicides at its plant in Shenzen, China—announced on Monday it’s raising wages. From October 1st, Factory workers will get nearly a 70% raise to 2,000 yuan per month. This comes barely a week after a 30% wage hike.

Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou said the higher wage is meant to make overtime hours more of an option and less of a necessity for the factory workers.

His company has been under intense scrutiny after ten suicides at the Shenzen plant made headlines. Labor groups have been calling for more money and better conditions for the workers.

SOURCES:
Foxconn gives China workers dramatic wage hike
V1: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100607/wl_asia_afp/chinataiwantechnologyfoxconnlabour
V2: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100607/wl_asia_afp/chinataiwantechnologyfoxconnwages

Older story about the 30% raise:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/business/global/02foxconn.html?src=busln

Foxconn Chairman Responds to Recent Suicides
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_china/2010-05-27/176588478363.html

Suicides in China Tech Firms Unsettling
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_china/2010-05-25/460610082098.html