All Entries Tagged With: "raise"

iPhone 4 Available in Portugal on August 27

The iPhone 4 will finally be made available in Portugal next week on August 27. The device will initially be offered by Portuguese wireless carrier Optimus. Unfortunately, not everything is good news. The iPhone 4 prices in Portugal will be a little bit higher than anywhere else in the world.

Optimus will sell the 16GB iPhone 4 for €679.90 and the 32GB iPhone 4 for a whopping €769.90. Respectively, that’s around $71 and $92 more expensive than normally priced here in the United States. That means that Portuguese citizens who want to get an iPhone 4 will be forced to pay more than anyone else in the world.

Report: Foxconn to Close Chinese Factories

Hard to believe, but Chinese news website Oriental Daily is reporting that Asian manufacturing giant Foxconn is planning to discontinue its China-based operating amid heavy controversy surrounding working conditions and recent suicides.

Instead, it has been reported that the company will be shifting manufacturing operations to Taiwan, Vietnam, and India, potentially putting upwards of 800,000 individuals out of work.

We cannot confirm the report in any way, but it certainly does seem like a stretch. Let’s be real: Foxconn has millions upon millions of dollars worth of assets in China, and it’s hired as many people as it has for a reason.

Foxconn to No Longer Compensate Families of Suicide Victims

In the past few weeks, Foxconn has become widely famous around the world, and not for the right reasons. Various of its employees have suddenly and deliberately taken their own lives. Though their reasons are unknown, many assumed it was the working conditions, while others have attributed the suicides to large payouts [up to 100,00 Yuan] to the families of victims.

That’s why, according to Reuters, Chinese news agency Xinhua has reported that Foxconn will no longer pay compensations to families of suicide victims. The company hopes to prevent more suicides, considering that there will not be an incentive.

Foxconn Employees To Get Additional 66% Raise

With news recently surfacing that employees at Hon Hai Precision Industry’s Foxconn operations were receiving a raise amid news that working conditions at the company’s plants were no more than despicable, we’re now learning that the company may be offering an additional 66% raise to employees.

With the previously mentioned pay raise in effect, the next wave of raises would bring Foxconn employees’ take-home from about 900 yuan ($132) per month to 2,000 yuan ($293) per month. The raise distribution would be granted to the hard-working employees after a three-month review period working at the company. Strangely, details on these reviews from Foxconn were not detailed, to say the least. 

Apple Reportedly Offering Pay Raises To Foxconn Employees

Amid the firestorm that Asian electronics manufacturer Foxconn has faced concerning working condition and human rights, a new report has been released, noting that Apple Computer Inc. will be offering pay raises to the very workers who actually manufacture their products, also known as employees of Foxconn.

The raise is slated to be composed of approximately 1 to 2 percent of profits, effectively bringing the workers’ monthly salaries to $130. This is in addition to the purported 20% raise offered up by Foxconn themselves as of last week.

We cannot in any way confirm the report, though we can say that if true, this is definitely an admirable move on Apple’s behalf.

[ via Zol ]

Chinese Official Asks for Better Working Conditions in Factories Amid Deaths at Foxconn

According to The Wall Street Journal, Guangdong Communist Party Secretary Wang Yang has called for companies to improve working conditions in their factories after more than ten Foxconn workers have taken their lives in the past few weeks. The statement by Wang is said to be the highest ranked comment by a provincial government on the matter. His party, government organizations, and Hon Hai — the company that anchors Foxconn — must “work together and take effective measures to prevent similar tragedies from happening again,” said Wang.

It’s important to take into account that Wang did not blame Hon Hai for the deaths of the Foxconn employees. Hon Hai, on the other hand, has already promised to increase the salaries of workers by 20% in addition to move many of them closer to their families on the west part of China.

Foxconn Employees to Get Long Overdue 20% Raise

Amid growing concerns by the entire world about the well-being of Foxconn employees after more than ten individuals took their lives at the facility, Hon Hai Precision Industry — the anchor group for Foxconn — has announced that they will raise the employees wages by 20% as part of a regular third-quarter cycle. Hon Hai spokesperson Edmund Ding said that such increase for all its workers has actually been planned for some time. However, he did not disclose when the raise will be carried out.

The company has been known to have increase salaries for as much as 50% in the past. Analysts state that a 20% increase is not unusual. Currently, Foxconn workers are paid approximately 900 yuan [$131.80] before bonuses and overtime. It’s also important to note that factory worker said that the company pays as much as 100,000 yuan to the families of suicide victims, something which could have played a major role in the recent suicides, given that a worker would have to work about ten years to make that amount of money.

Bing Homepage to Go Dark for An Hour Tonight in Honor of Earth Hour

For those of you who are not aware, today the world celebrates Earth Hour, an global event focusing on raising awareness of climate change by turning off as many as possible business and household lights. Landmarks and monuments around the world go completely dark after their flood lights and decorative lights are turned off.

With that said, major websites do their part by reminding people of such event. Just two years ago, Google’s homepage went from white to black to raise awareness. Microsoft is following suit this year with the Bing homepage, which is said to go darker than it already is tonight from 8:30pm Eastern Time until 9:30pm Pacific Time. Currently, Bing is featuring an amazing space image of Earth going from night to day.

Video: Steve Jobs Opens Up On Liver Transplant

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has finally broken his silence and opened up about his liver transplant last year. As many of you may or may not be aware, Jobs was secretly hospitalized last year in Memphis, Tennessee to receive a liver transplant. Luckily, he was able to quickly find a donor there, and have the new organ replace his old damaged liver.

Now, Jobs is partnering with California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to raise awareness of the SB 1395 legislation  by state Sen. Elaine Alquist that would make it mandatory for California residents to answer whether or not they would like to be part of the organ donor program before the Department of Motor Vehicles [DMV] issues or renews their license. Currently, the California DMV hands out licenses to people even if the question is not answered at all.