Reduced orders at Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn may have cause a factory worker at the company’s plant in Shenzhen to jump from the roof of the facility. Her suicide attempt is said to be part of the discontent among factory workers at the facility.
Reports from Chinese microblogging website “Sina Weibo, highlighted by Kotaku, claim that a woman jumped from the roof of Foxconn’s Shenzhen factory at 9 a.m. local time last Friday. As of noon, another three employees were said to be on the roof, threatening to jump as well.
The woman is reported to have survived the jump. Foxconn installed safety nets at its factories in the past after a number of workers committed suicide by jumping from the roofs of the facilities. The suicides drew attention to poor working conditions and wages at the Foxconn plants.
The latest events are reported to have been caused by reduced orders through Foxconn. People’s Daily Online reported that Foxconn has been encouraging some of its employees to leave the company in order to reduce worker costs.
Foxconn has denied reports that it has been encouraging workers to resign. The denial is in the face of recent reports claiming that the company has not only reduced employee wages, but has also started charging employees for services that were once provided at no charge.
Criticism of conditions at Foxconn plants prompted Apple to pressure Foxconn into improving conditions and wages for their workers. Foxconn is the main assembler of such Apple devices as the iPhone and iPad.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has prompted the company to become more transparent in its auditing of overseas suppliers. An update last month said the Apple found 99% of its suppliers in compliance with a 60-hour workweek limit.
