Foxconn will replace workers with 1 million robots in 3 years

[roxiejules]

If the world's largest manufacturer of computer components can't stop its workers from killing themselves, it will just replace them



http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/07/foxconn-will-replace-workers-with-1-million-robots-in-3-years/242810/ - The Atlantic


Foxconn International Holdings Ltd., a Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer, is perhaps best known as that place overseas where more 18 employees attempted suicide in a period running from January through November of 2010. In response to the first wave of suicides, the company increased wages, installed preventative netting to stop people from jumping to their deaths and had its nearly 1,200,000 employees to sign no-suicide pledges. But it's hard to keep that many people in line. While the number of suicide attempts has fallen, the phenomenon has not ended.

Foxconn employees, who work long hours in cramped conditions assembling Apple's iThings (among other products), are giving up. In late May, an unidentified 20-year-old male fell off a building and died; he was the second employee to die of unnatural causes this year.

The world's largest manufacturer of computer components has a new method for curbing the suicide attempts: Replace its workers altogether. Over the next three years, the manufacturer plans to deploy at least one million robots to improve efficiency and cut rising labor costs. The robots will be used to do routine and simple work: welding, spraying, assembling. Right now, all of those tasks are done by human workers, Terry Gou, the company's founder and chairman, told the Times of India.

Currently, Foxconn uses just 10,000 robots, or one for every 120 workers, in its facilities. Next year, that number will jump to 300,000 (one for every four workers). It's OK, though: Gou announced the bad news to his employees -- that the robots will be coming for their jobs -- at a dance party organized for the Foxconn team, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

[dbonds]

1. Robots replacing workers is going to happen.

If we can get rid of capitalism then it can be a good thing. Imagine a world where everyone needs are met, and goods are made and supplied by robots. Then people can choose to do what jobs or tasks they would like. No more money.

[snagglepuss]

3. How do you figure that dumping workers for

robots ushers in the end of Capitalism?

[dbonds]

4. Follow it to conclusion, it has to. Capitalism is about motivating workers...

Capitalism does not motivate robots. With no workers then there will be no money being made, thus no one buying products. It has to change at that point.

[DontTreadOnMe]

2. so... I guess the robots would be cheaper if

if they were located right here in the United States. The you don't have the ship the final product across the Pacific Ocean to where the customers are, in the United States.

So when is this huge boom in robot manufacturing going to start in the United States? Oh wait... never? Because the owners of the corporations don't want to pay US taxes, they just want to sell their product here... and deposit their cash in the Caymans.

I am not sure there is a better solution for taxing corporations. They will always find a method to avoid paying. Maybe the best solution is a sales tax on everything. Anything SOLD in the United States gets taxed at a higher rate. Just give corporation their zero tax rate, so there would NEVER be an excuse to move a company outside the US. But then at the same time, increase the tax rates on the wealthy.

Trade "no taxes for corporations" for "increases on income taxes". FYI... most corporation ALREADY pay zero taxes.

[southernyankeebelle]

5. I wonder when its going to dawn on these corporations who will be

left to buy their products if the keep losing employees.

[Badsam]

6. Robots, a few world wars to thin the herd, and the

Elite live happily ever after.