Foxconn Showing Employee’s Last Words, Stops Compensation

By Star Chang, posted Jun 9, 2010 at 9:05 AM, 1,122 views,

Foxconn Showing Employee’s Last Words, Stops Compensation

After Apple’s iPhone 4 announcement, Foxconn held their annual shareholders meeting in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and CEO Terry Gou has proclaim some interesting details on the suicide tragedy. He told the Taiwan press and shareholders, the company have evidence that some employee killed themselves is because of the financial payoff, thus Foxconn will end the suicide compensation. Guo was also frustrated that the media had created a bad social image on him…

Gou Tai-ming listening to the comments from the shareholder. Photo from AFP

Guo Tai-ming said the company might go for a divestment, to move the main production line back to Taiwan, and use more machines-work for producing. He emphasized that commit suicide is a social responsibility, a corporate could not afford too much social responsibilities. Therefore, he will decide to sell the company’s dormitory to the local government, they will in-charged it, and Foxconn will rent the dormitory from the government instead.

During the meeting, Gou published a real last words from one of the employees, the last words clearly stated that the reason for his suicide is about the compensation, and this will act as a return to his family. Foxconn stated that the employee who has written this letter of last words, was rescued by the company before his suicide attempt. We have a video news report, and the highlights of it:

Highlights:

while one of the shareholders asks about the suicide incident, Gou shows an employee’s last words to the public.

a real handwriting letter and a retype words document were shown.

the content stated : ” Mum, you always tell me to die, now I will jump down from Foxconn. I really have to go, you don’t have to feel sad, Foxconn will pay some money, and as your son, this is the only way to return you.”

the employee is not dead, he was rescued by the company.

Foxconn admit they have turned out to encourage the suicides due to the high compensation.

Gou read out a survey from a Suicide Association who carried out an investigation on his company, the victims from the 12 suicide attempts, 3 of them were mental illness and other 8 who have emotional disorder.

news report said that Guo’s action is to restore confidence from the shareholders.

Guo also complaint about his bad social image which has created by the media. Watch the video news report below, and the highlights:

Highlights:

Guo said that he often give people an impression that he is unreasonable, and a person who does not care and love.

Guo was afraid to watch the television news, because all media from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, are scolding him.

Guo has a feeling to quit his job regarding the incident, he was joking maybe the press won’t see him for the next year shareholders’ meeting.

He was unable to accompany his daughter for vaccination while he was in Shenzhen, his daughter is crying through the phone and he felt heartbroken.

Guo shows friendly attitude to the press and complain all the frustration he had faced. The grumble interview has last for one and a half hour.

news report said that Guo wishes the press could drop the disgraceful tag on Foxconn.

Letter of last words written by Foxconn employee before committing suicide.

We think that Guo’s latest comments are just to comfort Foxconn’s shareholders. By showing a letter of last words from employee and some suicide survey reports, Foxconn ends the suicide payments to victim’s families. Those families might feel uncomfortable for this, the whole circumstances just make Foxconn looks injustice, and looks like Guo is showing himself as a innocent role for what had really happened.

As for the divestment, we believe Foxconn is giving pressure to the local government, the authorities will get panic if any divestments take place. Thus the government will control the Chinese media to stop reporting negative news on Foxconn. After 2 times of wages increase, we really hope Foxconn workers can live happily ever after, but the whole incident doesn’t look like coming to an end.

Source: Taiwan Apple Daily and Nownews

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