300 Foxconn workers, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, reportedly threatened to commit mass suicide over a pay dispute at the company’s Xbox 360 plant earlier this month.
According to WantChinaTimes.com, the employees threatened to kill themselves by jumping from the top of a building at the Foxconn Technology Park in Wuhan, China last week.
The desperate measure was considered after the workers asked for a raise and were told that they could either continue their positions on their current wages or quit with compensation, with many deciding to quit thereafter.
However, the agreement of compensation was terminated by Foxconn, with the mayor of Wuhan even coming to intervene at 9pm on January 3 to dissuade the ex-employees from committing suicide. It is thought that 14 workers at the technology park took their life in 2010 alone.
Microsoft have since released a public statement on the story this afternoon, stating: “Microsoft takes working conditions in the factories that manufacture its products very seriously, and we are currently investigating this issue.
“We have a stringent Vendor Code of Conduct that spells out our expectations, and we monitor working conditions closely on an ongoing basis and address issues as they emerge. Microsoft is committed to the fair treatment and safety of workers employed by our vendors, and to ensuring conformance with Microsoft policy.”
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