Apple, Dell, HP Comment on Foxconn Suicides
A lot of computer companies outsource work to Foxconn and given the recent news reports regarding the assembly plant, some of the bigger names are eager to make their opinions on the matter heard.
HP, Apple and Dell have all released statements offering condolences as well and say they are looking into the matter. Apple's Steve Dowling told Bloomberg that the Cupertino-based company was "saddened and upset" by the suicides.
"We are saddened and upset by the recent suicides at Foxconn. We're in direct contact with Foxconn senior management and we believe they are taking this matter very seriously. A team from Apple is independently evaluating the steps they are taking to address these tragic events and we will continue our ongoing inspections of the facilities where our products are made."
Dell has offered a similar statement and said the company expects Foxconn to employ the same standards Dell does in its own factory.
"We expect our suppliers to employ the same high standards we do in our own facilities. We enforce these standards through a variety of tools, including the Electronics Industry code of conduct, business reviews with suppliers, self-assessments and audits."
Further word from a spokesperson reveals Dell is also investigating the situation.
"Any reports of poor working conditions in Dell’s supply chain are investigated," Jess Blackburn, a spokesman for Dell, said in an email to Bloomberg. "We expect our suppliers to employ the same high standards we do."
HP is also investigating "the Foxconn practices that may be associated with these tragic events."
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The news comes as reports suggest the number of suicides at the Foxconn factory has risen to 15.
Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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Darkerson Heres an idea. Give the poor bastards a break once in a while instead of working them to death. Literally.Reply -
read the book "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" by John Perkins. He'll tell you why this is happening.Reply
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nforce4max Looks like to me they're playing damage control, we all know that players like Dell don't care about their employees. The rest are all the same just plain and simple greed.Reply -
kslghost I thought it was already mentioned due to the HUGE number of employees and the suicide rate in China that these numbers were hardly abnormal and were in fact below the pace for expected suicides in the population.Reply -
Azimuth01 Suicide rate in the US: 5.4 out of every 100000Reply
Suicide rate for Foxconn: 3.75 out of 100000
The difference is that the US numbers (and indeed most numbers used in this comparison) are based on the number of people who have died I.E. out of every 100000 people that die, 5.4 of them take their own lives..... While the numbers at foxconn are based on an entire living population.
A more accurate assessment would be to take the number of people who have died in the last 2 months and then compare the number of people who have taken their own lives to the number of people who have died of other causes and express it as a percentage.....no one is posting those numbers though..... -
Computerrock1 This is a horrible thing, but foxconn doesn't make all that great stuff, and with a staff that big, chances for this kind of thing to happen increase, especially with the economic crisis.Reply -
do you know if the employee die, their entire family will receive enough compensation from Foxcoon for the rest of their life without worried about tomorrow...sound like a suicide missing for me...Reply