Microsoft And Foxconn End Dispute At Xbox Plant

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Foxconn-suicides-workers-roof

Foxconn workers at an Xbox plant in China threatened a mass suicide earlier this month after the manufacturer reportedly refused to pay compensation it had promised earlier. Today, Microsoft and Foxconn have announced that the dispute has now been resolved.

After “extensive talks” between Foxconn, Microsoft, and local government and labor officials, 45 works allegedly resigned voluntarily, while the rest returned to their normal duties following the dispute on January 4.

According to a new Wall Street Journal report, Microsoft was keen to point out that the dispute was not over poor working conditions, but “staffing assignments and transfer policies” instead. The dispute started at the Xbox production factory in Wuhan, China, and around 150 employees were involved, according to Foxconn.

Microsoft’s statement insists the company will continue to monitor the situation:

Microsoft takes working conditions in the factories that manufacture its products very seriously.

We monitor working conditions closely on an ongoing basis and address issues as they emerge.

Foxconn, which also assembles devices for Apple, Sony, and a number of other companies, isn’t unfamiliar with employee suicides. Back in 2010, 9 Foxconn workers ended their lives in just five months, prompting Apple to ensure better working conditions at the factories.

[via Electronista]

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