... and this one of the better places to work in China?!

[Byrns]

Excellent article on the ECS (motherboard co) manufacturing plant in China. http://www.thetechzone.com/?m=show&id=571&page=1

Here's some interesting notes:

* Employees work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

* Employees have to stay in dorms on the factory campus. Apparently there's little/no entertainment around... just more factories.

* If you talk during your 12-hour shift you get a de-merits. Get enough de-merits and you get fired.

* Over 99% of their factory staff is women "because they're easier to control".

* China says it's getting too expensive to make stuff in their country and are in the process of moving a lot of factories to Vietnam. And that's considering the following:
ECS workers are paid an average of $100US per month, or about the price of one ECS motherboard. The ECSM plant has 11,000 workers pumping out 2.5 million motherboards a month. That gives ECS a productivity ratio that no American manufacturer can ever hope to match.

[eelfliw]

$100US per month wage is a bit low for Shenzhen. So I wouldn't consider it one of the better places. Definitely below average. The owners may be saying to to appease the investors.

If you move more inland, then $100US a month is average for a big city. When my factory put out an ad to hire 50 general labourers, 3000 ppl lined up and applied. We ran out of application forms so some ppl who got application forms from us before ended up selling those for appx $6 Cdn a copy to those near the end of the line. Yup, it's a dog eat dog world out there.

As for living in dorms in the factory, employees demand that. It's part of their benefits package and it includes subsidized meals as well as education subsidy for their children. The are, of course, free to live off-site. But nearly all opt for the free dorms.

The 12 hour shift include several meal breaks, tea breaks, & siesta. Talking is allowed as long as it doesn't imact production or risk safety. If someone's operating a forklift with other workers around, they're not allowed to chat about non-work related subjects. The last thing I want is someone dropping 4 50 gallon drums on other workers because they're busy discussing last night's soccer game.

It's mostly men in my factory as it involves heavy labour. Women tend to go for less physically demanding jobs.

Turnover rate is extremely low. In case there is a vacancy, it can be filled within minutes.

If you expect Canadian working standards in China's factories, try looking for a Canadian motherboard manufacturer in Canada.

[poedua]

Excellent article on the ECS (motherboard co) manufacturing plant in China. http://www.thetechzone.com/?m=show&id=571&page=1

Here's some interesting notes:

* Employees work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

* Employees have to stay in dorms on the factory campus. Apparently there's little/no entertainment around... just more factories.

* If you talk during your 12-hour shift you get a de-merits. Get enough de-merits and you get fired.

* Over 99% of their factory staff is women "because they're easier to control".

* China says it's getting too expensive to make stuff in their country and are in the process of moving a lot of factories to Vietnam. And that's considering the following:

Very enlightening

[gorf]

:arrowu:

And a good reminder when one thinks they've got it rough in Canada. :|

[BadDrafter]

Do they get monday or friday off in lieu of national holidays that lie on the weekend? :lol:

I kid I kid.

[goffeebeans]

The article makes it seem so terrible for the workers, but are there actually any workers complaining?

Factory:
1 month, 12hrs a day
1000rmb + free meals + free lodging + whatever other subsidies

or

McDonald's worker in shanghai
1 month, 12 hrs a day
about 1100 rmb (about 3rmb/hr)
A mcdonalds combo is like.. 20rmb.

its like 1000 rmb SPENDING money vs 1100 rmb LIVING money.

[st7860]

$100US per month wage is a bit low for Shenzhen. So I wouldn't consider it one of the better places. Definitely below average. The owners may be saying to to appease the investors.

If you move more inland, then $100US a month is average for a big city. When my factory put out an ad to hire 50 general labourers, 3000 ppl lined up and applied. We ran out of application forms so some ppl who got application forms from us before ended up selling those for appx $6 Cdn a copy to those near the end of the line. Yup, it's a dog eat dog world out there.

.

and the cost of living in China is of course lower than in Canada too. Most people here don't realise $100 to $300US a mo in China goes pretty far.


Residents of Nanjie Village in China get:
free food. free apartments. free medical care.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2488905.stm

[trusoulja2g]

This is not one of the better places to work in China. It's just a typical factory job. Better than making socks, but it's a typical factory staffed by migrant workers.

Making 800rmb a month is pretty good for these workers...that money goes to support their families in villages and/or less prosperous provinces. By example, waiters make 600rmb or less in Beijing...they get free food and sleep in the restaurant at night. On the other hand, at these restaurants, there are many patrons running up 100rmb/person bills...you might consider those people to have the "better" jobs. I would consider the average salary at "one of the better places to work in China" to be around 10000rmb/month. That's not uncommon at MNCs. i.e. first year auditor at Big 4 accounting firm makes about 80000rmb/year.

The range of incomes and expenses is huge in China. In Beijing, some people live in shacks with no indoor plumbing. Some people live in 5-star penthouses or mansions. Average income in Beijing is about 1500rmb/month. But new condo developments in downtown Beijing are easily 10000rmb/sq metre or higher.

Many people say the cost of living is low. That's only true to the extent that it's possible to live very poorly. For an equivalent standard of living, it's not substantially cheaper than here. But most people in China get by with a very low standard of living, in many ways below what typical Canadians can imagine.

[eelfliw]

Speaking of wages..... There's now a new generation of "astronauts". The old "astronauts" work in HK and send their kids to Canada/US to study. The new astronauts work in Canada/US and send their kids back to China to live. This is so their kids will grow up knowing a bit of their history/culture and able to speak/read/write the Chinese language. This type of schooling is far better than the heritage language classes held here.

The cost of doing so is extremely cheap. You can hire a "mother" to take care of kids for as little as $200 Cdn a month (works out to about 1500RMB). If you add in the cost of renting an apartment + food + misc expenses, you can send your kids away for $1000 Cdn a month.

[ShadowVlican]

why did u think ECS motherboards are so cheap :lol: