Apple, Dell, HP Chinese workers sign no-suicide pledges

American corporate icons Apple, Dell and Hewlett Packard have again been caught out by revelations from their Chinese workers at their manufacturer Foxconn's Shenzen plant. These workers now have to sign documents agreeing not to commit suicide.
While not being directly connected or in any way condoning the workplace issues, three of the big four in computers are now acutely embarrassed, again. Foxconn’s parent, Taiwanese Hon Hai Precision, has stated it’s having difficulties managing its 800,000 strong workforce on the mainland.

Working for a staggeringly generous $300 a month, Chinese workers are being subjected to conditions that would have had 19th century reformers beyond outrage.
1 Nine people have committed suicide at Foxconn’s Shenzen site.
2. Nets are being hung around buildings to deter leapers, according to reports. Roof patrols are now being conducted.
3. Employees are being asked to sign agreements promising not to hurt themselves or other employees.
4. Workers speak of “harsh supervisors” and incredibly cramped, almost Dickensian conditions.

Would consumers go nuts if they had to pay a few dollars more for better manufacturing conditions which would obviously improve quality and the knowledge that their appliances weren’t killing people? Probably not.

UPDATE :

Shenzhen - Another employee of the factory that produces popular devices such as the iPhone and IPad committed suicide. This is the twelfth event of its kind in the factory of 300,000 employees and the tenth that ends in death since the beginning of the year.
The latest suicide took place just a few hours after the president of the parent company Hon-Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd., Terry Gou, visited the factory with a group of journalists to defend the corporation from allegations about poor working conditions as a cause of the wave of suicides at the Shenzhen plant. He also promised additional efforts to prevent them from happening. "Foxconn is not making worker’s exploiters" he said.
However, shortly before midnight, another employee of last name He, 23 years old, single, from northwest China's Gansu Province jumped from a balcony in the seventh floor of the C2 dormitory building at the plant. He had began working at the plant on June 18 last year, according to Xinhua News Agency.