quote:

The Foxconn sites in Shenzhen have a reputation as grueling workplaces, where tasks are timed with a stopwatch.

The body of a 19-year-old worker named Ma Xiangqian was found in front of his high-rise dormitory at 4:30 a.m. Police investigators concluded that he had leapt from a high floor, and they ruled it a suicide.

His family, including his 22-year-old sister who worked at the same company, Foxconn Technology, said he hated the job he had held only since November — an 11-hour overnight shift, seven nights a week, forging plastic and metal into electronics parts amid fumes and dust. Or at least that was Mr. Ma’s job until, after a run-in with his supervisor, he was demoted in December to cleaning toilets.

Mr. Ma’s pay stub shows that he worked 286 hours in the month before he died, including 112 hours of overtime, about three times the legal limit. For all of that, even with extra pay for overtime, he earned the equivalent of $1 an hour.

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ORIGINAL: Level

quote:

The Foxconn sites in Shenzhen have a reputation as grueling workplaces, where tasks are timed with a stopwatch.

The body of a 19-year-old worker named Ma Xiangqian was found in front of his high-rise dormitory at 4:30 a.m. Police investigators concluded that he had leapt from a high floor, and they ruled it a suicide.

His family, including his 22-year-old sister who worked at the same company, Foxconn Technology, said he hated the job he had held only since November — an 11-hour overnight shift, seven nights a week, forging plastic and metal into electronics parts amid fumes and dust. Or at least that was Mr. Ma’s job until, after a run-in with his supervisor, he was demoted in December to cleaning toilets.

Mr. Ma’s pay stub shows that he worked 286 hours in the month before he died, including 112 hours of overtime, about three times the legal limit. For all of that, even with extra pay for overtime, he earned the equivalent of $1 an hour.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/business/global/07suicide.html

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ORIGINAL: Marini

quote:

ORIGINAL: Level

quote:

The Foxconn sites in Shenzhen have a reputation as grueling workplaces, where tasks are timed with a stopwatch.

The body of a 19-year-old worker named Ma Xiangqian was found in front of his high-rise dormitory at 4:30 a.m. Police investigators concluded that he had leapt from a high floor, and they ruled it a suicide.

His family, including his 22-year-old sister who worked at the same company, Foxconn Technology, said he hated the job he had held only since November — an 11-hour overnight shift, seven nights a week, forging plastic and metal into electronics parts amid fumes and dust. Or at least that was Mr. Ma’s job until, after a run-in with his supervisor, he was demoted in December to cleaning toilets.

Mr. Ma’s pay stub shows that he worked 286 hours in the month before he died, including 112 hours of overtime, about three times the legal limit. For all of that, even with extra pay for overtime, he earned the equivalent of $1 an hour.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/business/global/07suicide.html

What a sad story, R.I.P. Mr. Ma.
How in the world can workers in the United States compete with someone working 286 hours for $1?
Outsourcing is often the modern day equivalent to slavery.

Bye, Bye Miss American Pie; Outsourcing is Tantamount to Slavery

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ORIGINAL: LadyEllen
When push comes to shove are we going to give up what we enjoy for their benefit? That is, if we should have any choice in the matter of course, which looks an increasingly less likely situation.

E

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ORIGINAL: Marini


I am glad many of the younger Chinese workers are starting to rebel against this modern day slavery, it is sad that many think suicide is their only way out.

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ORIGINAL: popeye1250

This is only one reason that I don't buy anything or wear anything that says "Made in China" on it.
And after having two lamps go on fire in the last few years and a night light blowing out an electrical socket I certainly won't buy anything that requires plugging into an electrical socket that's Made in China!
This kid was working seven days a week eh?

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ORIGINAL: MrRodgers

quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen
When push comes to shove are we going to give up what we enjoy for their benefit? That is, if we should have any choice in the matter of course, which looks an increasingly less likely situation.

E

On the contrary, we (western middle class) are the exception and our offspring will be much more like them you speak of...than us. The poverty we see around the world...IS the future.