Apple Reportedly Looking At Offering Subsidies To Foxconn Workers

Today it emerged that Apple Inc. is reportedly investigating the option of offering subsidies to employees of manufacturing partner Foxconn in a bid to stem the recent rise of suicides at the Chinese plant.

Foxconn, a gadget manufacturing company with many deals with various large US-based technology companies such as Apple, has made headlines over the past few weeks with a sharp rise in high profile suicides at the plant which many believe stems from the strict security surrounding many of the products made at the plant and relatively low wages. Also known as Hon Hai, the company itself has already announced an average 20% wage increase for all manufacturing employees, but the latest report suggests that Apple itself is looking to help increase the amount earned by employees, by offering a 1-2% subsidy for those that work on Apple product lines. "Apple will provide financial subsidies to Foxconn's employees, the amount will roughly be 1 to 2% of the profits from Apple products," MacRumors translated from the original Chinese post. "Apple has conducted investigation on Foxconn, and they believe the main reason for the suicide jumps is related to the employees' low wages." Neither company have yet confirmed the reports as being accurate, but it seems likely that wages for Foxconn employees are set to get a boost, one way or another, as both companies seek to avoid speculation that workers are being used under "sweatshop" conditions.