Foxconn report by Fair Labor Association finds ‘excessive overtime’
The Fair Labor Association (FLA) released its report on the working conditions in Apple supplier Foxconn's factories on Thursday, and Apple and Foxconn pledged to work together to improve working conditions and wages, according to Reuters.
Auret van Heerden, FLA president and chief executive officer, said, "The Fair Labor Association gave Apple's largest supplier the equivalent of a full-body scan through 3,000 staff hours investigating three of its factories and surveying more than 35,000 workers. Apple and its supplier Foxconn have agreed to our prescriptions, and we will verify progress and report publicly," according to CBS News.
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The report found overtime that "exceeded both the FLA Code standard and Chinese legal limits." The FLA said, "During peak production periods, the average number of hours worked per week exceeded 60 hours per worker. There were periods in which some employees worked more than seven days in a row without the required 24 hours off."
CNN said the report also found that more than 60 percent of the workers said their wages fell far short of basic needs. Average monthly salaries at the most notorious of the three factories, Chengdu, were around $358.
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Apple announced on Thursday that Foxconn would hire tens of thousands of new workers, crack down on illegal overtime and improve safety and worker amenities, according to Reuters.
In a statement, Apple said, "We think empowering workers and helping them understand their rights is essential," according to Wall Street Journal.
Earlier this week, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook visited the Foxconn factories and met with the Chinese vice premier Li Keqiang, discussing issues ranging from workers' conditions to multinational cooperation and intellectual property rights.
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