“Foxconn Technology Group, the assembler of most of the world’s top-selling electronic gadgets including Apple Inc’s iPhone, is trying to raise participation in its union as part of efforts to dispel a rash of bad publicity over poor working conditions and labor disputes,” Clare Jim reports for Reuters. “Apple, Foxconn’s main client, asked the U.S.- based Fair Labor Association (FLA) to review Foxconn’s operations last year…”
“Foxconn said on Monday it was increasing the number of junior employee representatives in committees within the union representing its workers. It said all its sites had been holding elections to increase the number of such positions, and the management was not involved in the election process,” Jim reports. “‘As a part of efforts to implement the Action Plan that was developed together with the Fair Labor Association, Foxconn is introducing measures to enhance employee representation in the Foxconn Labor Union and to raise employees’ awareness of the organization,’ it said in a statement.”
Jim reports, “Foxconn’s latest plan follows recommendations in the FLA report. It has already implemented other recommendations and has increased wages and improved amenities at its sites. Foxconn is the trading name of Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.”
Read more in the full article here.
Good for Foxconn management. Strong unions can provide a communication path between management and the workers that improve the workplace for everyone. The provide any important remedy that helps alleviate the deterioration of wage growth for workers that has occurred in the US in the past 30-35 years.
Especially in “its union,” that should be extremely “fair and balanced.”
Do you think the Union in China is aware of the Foxconn assembly plants that are being completed in other countries like Brazil?
The more the SoC and other technologies miniaturize the devices the closer we will get to preassembled sub assemblies that are assembled by robots or clipped together when the customer buy’s it. Unions had their time. In the USA, they are no longer needed and I assume that in one to four decades else where around the world the same will be true.
Can anyone not see the rise of real AI in computers and robots in less that 20 years?
Don’t kid yourself; we will always need checks and balance not with just government, but in the private sector.
No, no. The people who want to be in government are corrupt and selfish and need to be tightly controlled and have their power completely minimized. But the ultra-rich are noble and selfless and really care about other people and the world we live in and should have no controls on them. Yehhhhh. That’s the ticket.
Ever worked in a job that was represented by a Union? Ever had company management try to reduce your pay in a profitable company that your direct efforts make profits possible? I have and can categorically state the need for unions is still here.
Research the Boeing Engineers union strike in the late ’90s. Brought on by a single senior management individual who came to Boeing with the acquisition of a company he had already run in to the ground (not part of the Boeing culture and trying to make a name for himself). As long as one asshole can bring the power of the employer to bear on individuals, workers need to band together.
“In the USA, they are no longer needed and I assume that in one to four decades else where around the world the same will be true.”
Right, because over the last few decades, as union power has declined, the average worker’s pay has increased in step with the over-paid, incompetent management. Oh, wait. That’s exactly the opposite of reality. As executive pay has increased over 700%, workers’ pay has increased about 5% (NOTE: that is relative _increase_, not just that they have always been paid more). I’m sure this is because our current corporate leadership are so much more brilliant and productive relative to their predecessors. OR maybe, just maybe, it’s because workers without a union are more likely to be screwed over by management, while executives reward each other by putting those labor “savings” into their own paychecks.
Just Google: worker pay versus executives
Thank you to our self-destructive, brain dead Corporate Oligarchy. Your FAILure is the world’s FAILure. Well done, dumdums.
Fear not. The self-destructive successfully destroy themselves, and creativity blossoms out of their dead ashes.
Foxconn Technology Group . . . is trying to raise participation in its union
Unions? In communist China: Criminal Nation? Isn’t that redundant? Isn’t ALL of China supposed to be a ‘union’? Darn! Communism is a fraud! Big surprise! 😆
Kick their ass Taiwan! 😀
“its union” = union that management supports = not really a legitimate union
Management-backed unions are a smokescreen.
Good point. Thanks Krioni. And yet, I still think Foxconn may be doing something useful considering that we’re talking about China. We shall see. Got an eye on that.