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"Workers at Apple's Foxconn factories in China, the subjects of recent controversy, have received their third raise since 2010.\nThe raise comes as Apple is under fire for allegedly poor conditions at the Chinese manufacturing plants, which produce components for Apple devices. However, recent reports suggest the conditions in the Foxconn factories are far better than those of factories run by other companies. \nJunior workers in Shenzhen received a pay increase of up to 1,800 yuan ($286) per month or 2,200 ($350) yuan per month for those who pass a skills test, Reuters reports. In comparison, the lowest-paid workers made 900 ($142) yuan per month just three years ago. A June 2010 raise brought salaries up by 30 percent.\n\"As a top manufacturing company in China, the basic salary of junior workers in all of Foxconn's China factories is already far higher than the minimum wage set by all local governments,\" the statement said. \"We will provide more training opportunities and learning time, and will continuously enhance technology, efficiency and salary, so as to set a good example for the Chinese manufacturing industry.\"\nThe recent bout of criticism of Apple's Chinese factories began after The New York Times reported the workers were subject to unsafe conditions and long hours. Apple CEO Tim Cook then authorized the Fair Labor Association investigation which found conditions at Foxconn to be less severe than at other Chinese plants.\nDo you think the FLA's evaluation clears Apple's name? Do you think industry wide investigations are needed? Let us know in the comments.\nImage courtesy M.I.C. Gadget"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2012/02/17/foxconn-ipad-raise/>