Apple manufacturer Foxconn is back in the news after acknowledging the death of two of its factory workers in China last week — coming at a time when the company is pushing hard to improve labor conditions and its reputation.
Foxconn has previously been criticized for its working conditions after a number of employee suicides several years ago. However, while Foxconn (and, by extension, Apple) have often received negative press as a result, in the case of the recent deaths things don’t seem quite as straightforward and clean-cut.
The report notes that the first employee is a male who joined Foxonn last month, and was discovered dead outside a building in Zhengzhou. Meanwhile, a female employee died in a train accident on her way to work on Friday. Both employees worked at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant in the Henan province.
It is not confirmed whether either of the employees who died worked on Apple products.Foxconn is one of the largest private employers in the world, with around 1.3 million people on its books during peak production times.
In a statement issued today, Foxconn noted that: “Our efforts [to improve conditions for our labor force] are ongoing, and we are determined to do whatever we can to anticipate the changing needs of our large workforce in China.”
Tim Cook previously claimed that he was “deeply offended” by a BBC’s critical documentary entitled Apple’s Broken Promises, which took aim at the company for working conditions inside its Asian supply chain. Apple has taken efforts to improve working conditions for people throughout its supply chain.
Source: Reuters
