Netizens cast critical eye at Foxconn conditions
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A team of netizens has started work at Foxconn Technology Group as undercover investigators.
The group includes four workers who were already at the factory in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, when the suicides happened, and several other volunteers recruited in the past week.
Zhu Guangbing, who organized the team, posted his cell phone number on tianya.cn on May 18 and asked people to help in his investigation.
"I have worked for more than a decade and I understand much about the labor-intensive industries," he told China Daily. "I believe workers have enough strength to make Foxconn offer a solution to the problems."
Within just 24 hours of his post, Zhu received calls from about 80 Foxconn workers, as well as many more people from other business.
Part of the team is undercover in Foxconn and the rest collects information outside the factory. Members of the team each pay his or her expenses.
"I have received many threatening calls and have to change my hotel every night to ensure my safety," said Zhu, who is not working at the factory.
The team published a detailed report of its investigation on Monday, and mentioned both the good and bad parts of the company's management. On the plus side, workers are paid on time and are offered free dormitory accommodation, the report says. However, employees work long hours and there is very little communication.
"A big problem is that the power of security guards has been infinitely expanded," said Zhu. "Foxconn needs tight security because its clients do not want sensitive product information to be disclosed. But the power of the security guards is so great that the lives of workers is impacted."
The team will leave the factory soon to return to their regular jobs. However, Zhu said he plans to build a new team and "pass the torch of netizens' supervision".
