Yet another labor scandal hits Chinese supplier Foxconn.
According to a report by the Dongfang Daily, over a thousand Chinese university students from Xi'an Technological University were required to work in a Foxconn plant that manufactures the PlayStation 4 video game console.
The students were forced to work for two full months at the factory or have their diplomas withheld, according to the report. The work was described as an internship, and students were paid the same as other factory workers 1,600 yuan, or around $261, per month.
Foxconn, which also manufactures
In a statement to Quartz, Foxconn said they'd conducted an internal investigation and discovered that the students were given overtime and night shifts which they claim is a violation of company policy for student workers.
"Immediate actions have been taken to bring that campus into full compliance with our code and policies," said a Foxconn representative. This includes "reinforcing the policies of no overtime and no night shifts for student interns, even though such work is voluntary, and reminding all interns of their rights to terminate their participation in the program at any time."
Foxconn was accused previously of forcing student workers to manufacture the Apple iPhone, though the company claimed at the time that the students were free to leave. "Foxconn has long had a short-term internship program that we carry out in cooperation with a number of vocational schools in China," the company said at the time, claiming that all students were of legal age.
However, Foxconn recently came under fire for using underage workers to manufacture
According to Sony, Foxconn adheres to the Sony Supplier Code of Conduct.
"The
"We understand Foxconn fully comprehend and comply with this 'Sony Supplier Code of Conduct.'"
As both the Wii U and PS4 incidents illustrate, this does not appear to be the case. The full details of the agreement between the Universities involved in these programs and Foxconn are murky, but the company says it maintains many similar internship programs across a number of its plants.
Foxconn has struggled to find enough employees to fill its assembly line jobs in recent years, according to company founder Terry Gou.
“The young generation don’t want to work in factories, they want to work in services or the internet or another more easy and relaxed job,” he told the Financial Times. “Many workers are moving to the services sector and, in the manufacturing sector, total demand [for workers] is now more than supply.”
Foxconn is China's largest private employer, with over 1 million workers.
Source: Polygon