American publication Marketplace has posted – via Electronista – an early detail of a rare tour of Apple’s Foxconn factory which was in the news from quite some time for one reason to another. Rob Schmitz of Marketplace spent time talking to workers at the factory, and barring some tough supervisors and a dispute over a promised pay raise, reported that most people had a “generally positive attitude about working at Foxconn.”
Most often, Foxconn employees were concerned about a rise in pay promised in March that did not seems to be appearing and have taken effect at their level. “Many of them had really tough relationships with their immediate supervisor,” Schmitz said. “Many of them felt that these supervisors sort of played favorites sometimes and unfairly punished workers for not meeting quotas.”
The actual conditions were more sophisticated than portrayed by some. Foxconn’s plant resembles a college dorm with all the on-site facilities, the reporter said. Questions remain as to conditions in Foxconn facilities that make other companies’ products. Dell, HP, Microsoft, Nokia, Sony, and other companies all use Foxconn for some of their lineups, but none have come forward in a significant manner to address their part or to try and improve conditions.
