Foxconn Finally Improves Conditions

Life has become less stressful for the million or so people employed by electronics giant Foxconn, an audit from the Fair Labor Association has found. The company, which suffered a spate of suicides at its plant in southern China, has complied with most of the recommendations made after Apple opened up its supply chain to an audit, reports the Guardian. Apple and Foxconn agreed to cut working hours, improve dormitories, and improve safety measures at the plants that make the world's iPhones and iPads.

Foxconn has cut hours to below 60 a week, including overtime, and will soon be in compliance with the Chinese legal limit of 40 hours a week, plus 9 hours overtime, auditors found. Workers are worried about losing income as hours are cut, but Foxconn is expected to boost wages to make up for the change, according to the FLA. "Our hope is that our efforts will not only benefit Foxconn, but that they will also serve as a model for other companies, and help improve working conditions for the manufacturing industry throughout China," said a Foxconn spokesman. (More Foxconn stories.)