Foxconn, a Chinese contract manufacturer best known as the folks that put together many of Apple Inc.‘s (NASDAQ: AAPL) popular iProducts, from Pads to Phones, as well as public relations issues over its working conditions, is in hot water once again.
According to Michael Kan from PC World, Foxconn is denying reports that it’s forcing Chinese vocational students to work at its factories. The reports have claimed the students lose school credit if they leave the company.
Foxconn said in a statement on Tuesday the company has “long had a short-term internship program” to bring students from vocational schools to work at the factories. All the students are within legal working age, and on average make up 2.7 percent of the company’s work force in China.
“The internship programs range in length from one to six months and students are free to leave the internship program at any time,” the company said.
(Click here to read Apple supplier Foxconn denies using forced student labor in Chinese factories)
International labour rights groups, however, stand by their accusations. It’s the latest in a string of negative press for Foxconn. Apple faced a boycott over working conditions at Foxconn earlier this year, and the company’s chairman compared his workforce to animals. There was also a string of suicides among the workforce.
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