A thirteenth employee jumped/fell from a high roof or ledge at Foxconn's Shenzhen factory in rural China.  The young woman reportedly survived and Foxconn is disputing reports that she meant to take her life.

The factory in Shenzhen assembles Apple's the majority of Apple's iPads, iPhones, and iPods – it also produces products for HP and Dell among other manufacturers.  After a string of suicides, Apple has become alarmed and has pressured Foxconn to seek solutions to stop the deaths.

The deaths are not unusual when compared to rural China's average suicide rates, which are among the world's highest.  However, they are unusual for Chinese factories, which typically feature lower suicide rates.  For example, last year all of Foxconn's factory towns had only 3 reported suicides, one of which involved the suspicious death of an employee who lost an iPhone prototype.

In addition to Buddhist music, religious counseling, and an anger room (with dummies to beat on with bats), Foxconn reportedly has adopted yet another tactic -- having employees sign a letter promising not to kill themselves.  The letter reads [translated]:

A Letter to Foxconn Colleagues

Dear Colleagues:

We enthusiastically welcome you to the Foxconn Technology Co. family!

To wish you happiness in crossing this career milestone into a great stage in your life, Foxconn has provided you with this: A workplace environment that will help you gain experience and wisdom; complete living facilities; various entertainment venues, learning and sports facilities, and activities; as well as a service staff that will help resolve difficulties.

Please know:

1. If you or your colleagues come across frustrations, grievances, embarrassments in your work, daily activities, schooling, feelings, family life, or health, you can ask for help by calling our "Worker Care Center" hotline: 78585 (phonetically it sounds like "Please help me, help me"). The company will arrange a professional to help you or your colleague solve your problems. If your reports on your colleagues helps prevent an accident, the company will provide an adequate reward.

2. If you have other non-urgent problems, you can also contact the Complaints hotline: 15000, trade union hotline: 81111, employee suggestion box, and the trade union mailbox to make a report. The company will also dispatch a professional to solve the issue.

At the same time, please understand:

1. The company respects operational and management law, and respects and cares about the staff.

2. The way the company deals with employee accidents is based in national law and is in accordance with regulations, as well as the principles of the corporation and humane care. As for the accidents to employees (including suicide, self-mutilation, etc.), the company cannot pay more than what is regulated, but will actively cooperate with government departments according to the laws of compensation and will work out a reasonable pension.

The company is attaching importance to prevention programs, and will continue their expansion. As a reminder, the company has especially drafted this letter for you to sign.

Finally, wish you a smooth career and happy life with the Foxconn family!

Foxconn Technology Co.

May 2010

I am aware of the contents of the open letter as well as the variety of services and care the company is providing. I promise the following:

1. If I encounter problems and difficulties after entering the company, I will ask for help from the "Employee Care Center" and other related departments.

2. In terms of my own responsibilities, if I have great difficulties or frustrations I will reach out to relatives to resolve them or report them to the company director, I will also agree to contact and communicate with colleagues, personal staff and relatives. However, I will not harm myself or others; I agree that, in order for the company to protect me and others, it can send me to a hospital should I exhibit abnormal physical or mental problems.

3. In the event of non-accidental injuries (including suicide, self mutilation, etc.), I agree that the company has acted properly in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and will not sue the company, bring excessive demands, take drastic actions that would damage the company's reputation or cause trouble that would hurt normal operations.

I confirm that I have read and am aware of these issues

________________ (signature)
Employee number:
Residence number:
Date:

Foxconn employees are reportedly a bit nervous about the letter, as they worry that it will give their supervisors grounds to have them committed to a mental hospital if they disagree with them.  They may not have much choice in the matter, though; under pressure from Apple, at this point Foxconn is willing to try just about anything to stamp out the suicide trend.