Foxconn Workers in China Threatened Suicide Over Assignments

Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Approximately 150 workers at a Chinese Foxconn plant that manufactures parts for Microsoft’s Xbox threatened to commit suicide if their demands weren’t met. Foxconn officials said the dispute has since been resolved with most of the employees returning to work.

The workers were upset about internal transfers at the company. “The reason you see these protests is because the employees feel they have no other option,” said Geoffrey Crothall, a director at rights group China Labor Bulletin.

In the past, Foxconn has been plagued by employee suicides. The company has installed safety nets at its facilities and now requires workers to sign pledges that they will not commit suicide. Foxconn is the largest contract electronics manufacturer in the world.