Foxconn, which normally conducts large-scale labor recruitment after the Spring Festival, has suspended recruitment nationwide after the Spring Festival in 2013, liu kun, a spokesman for foxconn in China, said yesterday. It is understood that foxconn will accelerate the application of robots.
Liu kun told reporters yesterday that foxconn's shenzhen and zhengzhou factories are indeed suspending hiring, but not only at these two factories, but also across the country.
As for the reasons for the suspension, liu said, "the main reason is that foxconn employees' rework rate after this year's holiday is very high, basically 90 percent, and some factories have reached 97 percent."
According to liu, many workers choose to stay at home or work for other companies after the Spring Festival, and half the rework rate is good. In 2010, foxconn gradually improved the treatment of workers. "the basic wage of ordinary workers in shenzhen has increased 160% so far, from 900 yuan to 2,000 yuan."
In January, it was revealed that apple had slashed purchases of iPhone5 components because of poor sales, including nearly halving purchases of display screens in the first quarter. Foxconn insiders said the hiring halt at apple, the world's largest contract manufacturer, was also linked to a reduction in production of the iPhone5.
Robots will be on duty
According to a foxconn insider, the move is related to gou's previously announced robotics program.
As apple's largest contract manufacturer, foxconn has been repeatedly investigated by environmental groups and labor organizations, claiming that it causes environmental pollution, harsh labor, and even "death from overwork". Foxconn's factories have also seen explosions and staff jumping off buildings.
Under fire from the media, foxconn chairman terry gou has repeatedly said he would replace some workers with robots for repetitive tasks. During a visit to foxconn's jincheng technology industrial park in early 2012, gou confirmed that the company had launched a plan for "one million robots within three years."
Foxconn insiders confirmed yesterday that Mr Gou had given instructions to foxconn factories across the country to speed up factory automation earlier this year. "If factories around the country want to hire on a large scale, they have to go through Mr Gou's own approval process." The person said gou was trying to force factories to speed up the robots.