Foxconn Brazil workers reportedly threaten strike over working conditions
Factory workers at a Foxconn plant in Jundia?, Brazil are complaining of overcrowded buses, poor food and a lack of water and have threatened to strike unless the issues are resolved by May 3.
According to a report by Brazil's Tech Guru (Google Translation), over 2,500 Foxconn employees have complained about conditions at the factory. Workers reportedly met last Monday to raise the concerns and have given the company 10 days to address them.
Problems at the factory have been exacerbated by the recent hiring of more than a thousand employees. Foxconn was said not to have increased its transport infrastructure with the new hires. The company reportedly had to hire water trucks to bring in water for its employees.
A representative for the employees was optimistic that an amicable solution could be reached with Foxconn without resorting to a strike.
The report did not specifically mention whether the workers involved are serving on production lines for Apple's iPhone or iPad. iPhone 4 units produced in Brazil reached the market last February, while Apple is said to have received approval to begin selling iPad 2 units that have been manufactured in the country.
In January, it was reported that Brazilian officials were claiming Foxconn had plans to build five additional factories in the country to help produce Apple devices. Each of the new facilities would reportedly staff approximately 1,000 workers. However, Foxconn called the report "pure speculation."
Foxconn's Jundiai, Brazil manufacturing plant
Though Apple has identified Brazil as a key growth region, CEO Tim Cook said earlier this year that the company is not planning to build retail stores there in the "near future."
According to a report by Brazil's Tech Guru (Google Translation), over 2,500 Foxconn employees have complained about conditions at the factory. Workers reportedly met last Monday to raise the concerns and have given the company 10 days to address them.
Problems at the factory have been exacerbated by the recent hiring of more than a thousand employees. Foxconn was said not to have increased its transport infrastructure with the new hires. The company reportedly had to hire water trucks to bring in water for its employees.
A representative for the employees was optimistic that an amicable solution could be reached with Foxconn without resorting to a strike.
The report did not specifically mention whether the workers involved are serving on production lines for Apple's iPhone or iPad. iPhone 4 units produced in Brazil reached the market last February, while Apple is said to have received approval to begin selling iPad 2 units that have been manufactured in the country.
In January, it was reported that Brazilian officials were claiming Foxconn had plans to build five additional factories in the country to help produce Apple devices. Each of the new facilities would reportedly staff approximately 1,000 workers. However, Foxconn called the report "pure speculation."
Foxconn's Jundiai, Brazil manufacturing plant
Though Apple has identified Brazil as a key growth region, CEO Tim Cook said earlier this year that the company is not planning to build retail stores there in the "near future."
Comments
Brazil is a nightmare when it comes to labor laws and poor attitude from workers. They don't even commit to the treaties they sign unless they are benefiting the most.
I just hope I don't end up with an iDevice made there.
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
Import about 10K Chinese workers and that will fix this.
But Apple needs the infrastructure if they want to avoid those excessive import taxes.
Groan.
Apple does not need this further round of (likely) overblown, exaggerated, distorted bad publicity.
I need Brazilian Human Rights Violations to win the Anti-Apple BINGO game. In all seriousness, you could probably make a game out all the BS that gets thrown at Apple.
Brasil,
Africa called, they would be glad to take a few factories off your hands. Vietnam is holding on line 2. Mexico on line 3.
Thanks for playing global economy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
Groan.
Apple does not need this further round of (likely) overblown, exaggerated, distorted bad publicity.
indeed. there is zero proof that those folks are doing anything Apple related. but because it's Foxconn and they can drop Apple in for hits of course the media is going to do it.
Apple, welcome to Brazil. Maybe you managed to do the worst choice in all South America. Not for the location, maybe not for the taxes, but certainly for the people.
Brazilians strike at everything, it is the "lets f.u. c.k it till we get it" idea. Good luck fixing a really bad cultural problem.
Perhaps Brazil is NOT the right, next place for Foxconn (and Apple) to invest in manufacturing facilities. If these claims are frivolous and there is some impact to these actions, Foxconn should simply walk. Walk away and moth-ball the $10MM in factory in plants & equipment until the business environment improves. Enough of this bullshit
Brazil is over-rated, but is the 'hot' place to talk about. What consumer brand or internet service has the country actually exported in the last 10 years? Please, I'd like to know
Let me add.. that I am more impressed with China everyday. For the economic powerhouse and increasing per capita income they are building. Go figure the engine of growth for the world this decade is communist :-(
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Oak
Perhaps Brazil is NOT the right, next place for Foxconn (and Apple) to invest in manufacturing facilities. If these claims are frivolous and there is some impact to these actions, Foxconn should simply walk. Walk away and moth-ball the $10MM in factory in plants & equipment until the business environment improves. Enough of this bullshit
Brazil is over-rated, but is the 'hot' place to talk about. What consumer brand or internet service has the country actually exported in the last 10 years? Please, I'd like to know
Let me add.. that I am more impressed with China everyday. For the economic powerhouse and increasing per capita income they are building. Go figure the engine of growth for the world this decade is communist :-(
Foxconn (Apple) is there for only one reason. Brazil has giant import taxes on anything not produced there. IMO, the Government was brilliant. They, in essence, forced Apple/Foxconn to manufacture there. If Apple were to give up manufacturing there, they'd be giving up on Brazil as a market because few could afford the product with the import taxes.
None of us know whether the employees' gripes are legit or not. But I think this assumption that because this involves Apple, that their gripes are not legit is actually quite troubling. After all, one of their major complaints is about WATER! It's hard to believe they'd be lying about that.
Everyone deserves to have a decent working environment. That doesn't necessarily mean to the same standards as the U.S. or western Europe, but decent. It's actually quite repulsive to put the workers down just because you happen to be in love with Apple's products. If 2500 workers are all willing to walk out if they can't come to some agreement with management, I'd have to think that working conditions probably are pretty bad, because if they didn't want to work, they wouldn't have taken the jobs in the first place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
Groan.
Apple does not need this further round of (likely) overblown, exaggerated, distorted bad publicity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
I need Brazilian Human Rights Violations to win the Anti-Apple BINGO game. In all seriousness, you could probably make a game out all the BS that gets thrown at Apple.
Oh please, Steve Jobs and Apple pulls so much shit on EVERYBODY, their suppliers, competitors, customers, even their own employees! They deserve all of the negative publicity they get.
ZOETMB
To date that is probably the most sane and reasoned reply I have read on this forum regarding Foxconn.
I suspect that most of the forum members would agree working conditions at Foxconn are far from ideal however because of the underlying subtext of most stories (ie Foxconn=bad and therefore Apple=bad by association) they go on the defensive, and all too often end up castigating the employees for daring to complain.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hungover
ZOETMB
To date that is probably the most sane and reasoned reply I have read on this forum regarding Foxconn.
I suspect that most of the forum members would agree working conditions at Foxconn are far from ideal however because of the underlying subtext of most stories (ie Foxconn=bad and therefore Apple=bad by association) they go on the defensive, and all too often end up castigating the employees for daring to complain.
Sane and reasoning have no place in the replies from the two gentlemen you quoted. It will NEVER be Apple's fault. NEVER.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoetmb
Foxconn (Apple) is there for only one reason. Brazil has giant import taxes on anything not produced there. IMO, the Government was brilliant. They, in essence, forced Apple/Foxconn to manufacture there. If Apple were to give up manufacturing there, they'd be giving up on Brazil as a market because few could afford the product with the import taxes.
None of us know whether the employees' gripes are legit or not. But I think this assumption that because this involves Apple, that their gripes are not legit is actually quite troubling. After all, one of their major complaints is about WATER! It's hard to believe they'd be lying about that.
Everyone deserves to have a decent working environment. That doesn't necessarily mean to the same standards as the U.S. or western Europe, but decent. It's actually quite repulsive to put the workers down just because you happen to be in love with Apple's products. If 2500 workers are all willing to walk out if they can't come to some agreement with management, I'd have to think that working conditions probably are pretty bad, because if they didn't want to work, they wouldn't have taken the jobs in the first place.
No, the most common assumption is that since it's about Apple, any complaints get blown out of proportion by the press and Apple is unfairly singled out.
1. The plant is not owned by Apple. It's owned by Foxconn. Apple does not have any employees at the plant. So why do all the headlines single Apple out and not the other companies that do business in the same plants (at least in China - I don't know if Foxconn Brazil does work for others).
2. Yet another of the endless rumors about how evil Apple is. There's nothing in this article that even suggests that anyone crosschecked to see if the claims were true.
3. Yes, employees deserve decent working conditions - including water. But it's a startup plant and Foxconn apparently brought water in until they could get a more permanent solution.
Here are the complaints from the original article:
"Claims of more than 2,500 employees are in relation to overcrowding of the buses that lead to the company, the quality of food, cafeteria and structure of the lack of water in the factory. "
Sorry, but cafeteria food stinks around the world. If you don't like it, bring your own lunch.
Water? They provided water - even though they had to bring in trucks. The employees received water.
Overcrowding on the buses? Too bad - get your own way to work if you don't like sitting your prima donna butt on a crowded bus.
Maybe Americans aren't the worst employees in the world when it comes to a sense of entitlement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoetmb
Foxconn (Apple) is there for only one reason. Brazil has giant import taxes on anything not produced there. IMO, the Government was brilliant. They, in essence, forced Apple/Foxconn to manufacture there. If Apple were to give up manufacturing there, they'd be giving up on Brazil as a market because few could afford the product with the import taxes.
Many of you don't know:
...they've started to sell the iPhone 4 made in Brazil, ON THE SAME PRICE as the imported ones. The Government is a brilliant liar and so corrupt that they must be the only winners in this story.
But there was a reason, they can't sell iP4 on lower price when they also sell the 3GS (imported from abroad) on higher price.
Wow, you sound likle a real Capitalist.
How about treat people and workers like human beings, instead of slave labor and they would that the companies fair and not strike?
BRazillians are beautiful, warm loving people from all that I have met, not sure about work ethics though. Look at the photo of that factory.... Almost all people just want a fair shake and to be respeected and they will work for you hard. except for the small %, but at very corner a business rips off it's employees, treats them like shit, lies and doesn't deliver on promises made. (Many promises were broken to me by my last three employers for example and I helped build each of those companies).
Would anyone want to work in that camp? There are virtually no windows (all that sunlight, build a nice trium, no plants, covered in razor wire, etc. Do you think Appple would ever design a tin can prison like that for it's employees?
The design of the building and lacl of anything remotely friendly, warm or inviting clearly shows 100% what FoxConn thinks of factory workers....slaves.
Meanwhile, Foxconn's execs are driving Benz's S-Class fromn all the profits of taking advantage of people desperate for work in the new Global Consumer Prison system
Quote:
Originally Posted by satch
Wow, you sound likle a real Capitalist.
You say that as though there's something wrong with capitalism.
Would anyone want to work in that camp? There are virtually no windows (all that sunlight, build a nice atrium), no plants, covered in razor wire, etc.
Well, it's just like every warehouse ever made ever, so yeah, people would want to work there. It's WORK. Except for the welfare moochers, humans actually WANT to work.
Quote:
Meanwhile, Foxconn's execs are driving Benz's S-Class fromn all the profits of taking advantage of people desperate for work in the new Global Consumer Prison system
Pictures of said executives entering said cars, please. Otherwise don't hyperbolize.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Quote:
Originally Posted by satch
Wow, you sound likle a real Capitalist.
You say that as though there's something wrong with capitalism.
There's lots wrong with Capitalism. But there's nothing that produces as much total wealth.