Foxconn to pay workers more

FOXCONN Technology has raised its Chinese workers’ salaries by 16 to 25 percent.

Workers at the Chinese factories will now be paid about US$400 a month before overtime. Foxconn has also said it would reduce overtime.

While Apple is not the only company using Foxconn for assembly and manufacturing operations, the popularity of its iPhone and iPad products has put the focus on Foxconn’s working conditions.

The Taiwan-based company has more than one million employees working at its facilities to assemble electronic devices. A spate of suicides in 2011 and allegations of unreasonable overtime and poor working conditions galvanised global focus and criticism of its operations.

The wage rise move comes after Apple said the Fair Labour Association would independently audit its supplier factories, with inspection of Foxconn’s operations starting during the week.