Fixing Foxconn
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Nine employees of motherboard manufacturer Foxconn have committed suicide - jumped to death, to be precise - over the last six months. Each time such an incident has happened, it has thrown up more questions than answers. The cause of these ghastly deaths - conceivably linked to workplace issues - should be investigated thoroughly.
Assurances that all is well in the company are not acceptable. The consecutive suicides are proof of some malfeasance. And, that should not be left unattended. To do so is to risk an end to other promising young lives.
Corporate managers seek to maximize profits; local authorities devise ways to boost GDP and revenues - both these approaches are fine by itself. Yet, the quest for profits and GDP growth must not come at the cost of workers' well being, and certainly not their very lives.
These strikingly similar tragedies have taken place in a little less than six months, and their causes certainly seem to be linked to conditions at work. They should not be viewed as "isolated" cases.
The company has an obligation to arrive at the root of the malaise, and prevent further tragedies from taking place at its premises.
If left unchecked by the company managers as well as the local officials, we would advise jobseekers to steer clear of such employers. These incidents constitute a far greater threat to employee safety than work-related accidents.
Third-party intervention, preferably by the trade union, may also come in handy. Pragmatic approaches to help explain and prevent similar tragedies are the need of the hour.
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