Why Foxconn Workers in China Walked Off the Job
Last last month, dramatic images of Chinese workers jumping over fences at the electronics giant Foxconn’s factories and walking home grabbed headlines. Despite China’s lack of independent trade unions, the workers took collective action and refused to work.
Foxconn employees take shuttle buses to head home on October 30, 2022 in Zhengzhou, China. (VCG via Getty Images)
In late October, information and rumors circulating among workers about mass infections of COVID-19 and even death of infected workers inside the Foxconn mega-factory in China’s central Henan province sparked an exodus of workers. Fearing infection and consequently unable to leave the facility, workers jumped over factory walls and fences in an attempt to escape and head home.
Why is this happening? Why does the story resonate with so many people? What is the significance of this event? The Asian Labour Review spoke to Eli Friedman, who has been researching and writing about Chinese workers for two decades and is following the Foxconn incident closely. We discussed the history of Foxconn’s treatment of workers in China, and why it is important to see the exodus as a collective action in the form of workers’ mass refusal to work.
Asian Labour Review
In the past few weeks we have seen very striking images and videos of Chinese workers escaping from the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou. A lot of that was posted on Chinese social media, so not everything is verifiable. To the extent that we can be somewhat certain, can you describe what happened inside Zhengzhou Foxconn that caused workers’ panicked actions?
Eli Friedman
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.