Foxconn replaces '60,000 factory workers with robots'

[Master Disaster]

Hardware manufacturer Foxconn has just laid off 60,000 staff members from their manufacturing plant, replacing them with robots.

Quote

Apple and Samsung supplier Foxconn has reportedly replaced 60,000 factory workers with robots.

 

One factory has "reduced employee strength from 110,000 to 50,000 thanks to the introduction of robots", a government official told the South China Morning Post.

 

Xu Yulian, head of publicity for the Kunshan region, added: "More companies are likely to follow suit."

China is investing heavily in a robot workforce.

 

In a statement to the BBC, Foxconn Technology Group confirmed that it was automating "many of the manufacturing tasks associated with our operations" but denied that it meant long-term job losses.

 

"We are applying robotics engineering and other innovative manufacturing technologies to replace repetitive tasks previously done by employees, and through training, also enable our employees to focus on higher value-added elements in the manufacturing process, such as research and development, process control and quality control.

 

"We will continue to harness automation and manpower in our manufacturing operations, and we expect to maintain our significant workforce in China."

China is leading the way on robotic automation however this is admidst stark warnings from analysts around the globe about what robotic automation will do to the global job market

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Since September 2014, 505 factories across Dongguan, in the Guangdong province, have invested 4.2bn yuan (£430m) in robots, aiming to replace thousands of workers.

 

Kunshan, Jiangsu province, is a manufacturing hub for the electronics industry.

 

Economists have issued dire warnings about how automation will affect the job market, with one report, from consultants Deloitte in partnership with Oxford University, suggesting that 35% of jobs were at risk over the next 20 years.

 

Former McDonald's chief executive Ed Rensi recently told the US's Fox Business programme a minimum-wage increase to $15 an hour would make companies consider robot workers.

 

"It's cheaper to buy a $35,000 robotic arm than it is to hire an employee who is inefficient, making $15 an hour bagging French fries," he said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36376966

 

This is one of those stories which makes you think. One the one hand it makes total sense to get robots do to the monotonous and laborious tasks inside factories but on the other hand where exactly do all these people go to work now?

 

35% of jobs might be at risk within 20 years, that's a very bad situation if it happens that way.

[Albatross]

Well...at least they won't be mistreating their human employees anymore.

[tt2468]

3 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

Hardware manufacturer Foxconn has just laid off 60,000 staff members from their manufacturing plant, replacing them with robots.

China is leading the way on robotic automation however this is admidst stark warnings from analysts around the globe about what robotic automation will do to the global job market

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36376966

 

This is one of those stories which makes you think. One the one hand it makes total sense to get robots do to the monotonous and laborious tasks inside factories but on the other hand where exactly do all these people go to work now?

 

35% of jobs might be at risk within 20 years, that's a very bad situation if it happens that way.

Whats that song that goes like 'It's the end of the world as we know it?' Cuz that is exactly what I'm thinking rn

[Master Disaster]

Just now, tt2468 said:

Whats that song that goes like 'It's the end of the world as we know it?' Cuz that is exactly what I'm thinking rn

REM - End of the world

[tt2468]

1 minute ago, Master Disaster said:

REM - End of the world

Ah, yes. That one

[Master Disaster]

6 minutes ago, Albatross said:

Well...at least they won't be mistreating their human employees anymore.

Nope, they'll be mistreating their unemployed instead.

[VinsinityKT]

It has to come eventually. Not surprised. It's business, need to make as much money as possible. 

[Albatross]

2 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

Nope, they'll be mistreating their unemployed instead.

...

 

[Master Disaster]

1 minute ago, Albatross said:

...

 

Haha, don't worry dude, its China. The word Chinese should be redefined to mean "human rights disaster". Tianamon Square anyone

[Moonzy]

lol we're entering an age where no one have to work anymore  

 

i had someone criticize me when i told him i was studying engineering (i was slightly pissed at his statement, thus the reply)

that guy: "so you're helping with the unemployment rate of this country?"

me: "well.... it's my job to replace your job... so yea"

[RagnarokDel]

Megafucking outch. I can only imagine what that would do in Québec/Ontario if 60 000 jobs were lost today.

[IAmBill]

I hope the beef up the suicide nets they have between their factory roofs... those robots are going to just go right through the rope ones they're using now.

[Paralectic]

It was expected, it's tragic, alot of jobs gone but there will be new jobs to make these robots and such. Time's are changing.

[zMeul]

BMW was it, where an assembly line robot practically killed a human worker?

[Lethal Seraph]

55 minutes ago, Albatross said:

Well...at least they won't be mistreating their human employees anymore.

Oh what would they do to the now empty, barred apartments with fall nets.

[deviant88]

ofcourse they are replacing, that proves why there are no jobs anymore

[ShadowCaptain]

There we go, human slave problem has been fixed

 

now they just need to fix unemployment by replacing robots with humans..wait

[suicidalfranco]

well... at least it will decrease the suicide rates and minors being employed 

[KuJoe]

In unrelated news, robot suicides are up 100%.

[Master Disaster]

11 minutes ago, KuJoe said:

In unrelated news, robot suicides are up 100%.

[Memories4K]

I don't see the problem with this.

Automation is the future for a cheap, fast, and better quality labor force.

This was bound to happen, and will continue to happen in the future.

I wish i could feel sorry for the workers but i, honestly, don't.

Not even when i hear about Intel's, ASUS', and Microsoft's lay-offs.

This is the price of progress, globalization, and innovation; no one is going to be shedding tears for the number of jobs that will be lost by future endeavors like Elon Musk's Hyper-Loop as a way of transport compared to say competing against commercial airlines.

[Prysin]

And this is why i chose to become a Electrician. Someone need to wire those robots, and there is no signs of my profession being able to be automated within the upcoming 100 years. So, im safe.

 

Factory workers shoulda known this was coming. It sucks, but it was a long way coming. Every production plant industry has long since moved towards automation anyway.

[Anakumulos]

The worst part about this is the fact that china, one of the most populace countries in the world, is trying to move to automation. This is forcing people to leave half decent, paying jobs to go work for a fraction in fields and farms in other parts of the country. China's population cant work with its current economy, and thats why I fear for all of the countries doing business in china the way they are. How soon until the country collapses?

[RagnarokDel]

2 hours ago, Prysin said:

And this is why i chose to become a Electrician. Someone need to wire those robots, and there is no signs of my profession being able to be automated within the upcoming 100 years. So, im safe.

 

Factory workers shoulda known this was coming. It sucks, but it was a long way coming. Every production plant industry has long since moved towards automation anyway.

still about 15% of your jobs are going to be replaced by robots in the next 20 years. Thing is you might not lose your job to automation but I suspect many people who loose their plant jobs will go back to school and become electricians which means you'll have significantly more competition.

 

That job you had that earned you 75k a year is now worth 50k a year.

[Misanthrope]

3 hours ago, Prysin said:

And this is why i chose to become a Electrician. Someone need to wire those robots, and there is no signs of my profession being able to be automated within the upcoming 100 years. So, im safe.

 

Factory workers shoulda known this was coming. It sucks, but it was a long way coming. Every production plant industry has long since moved towards automation anyway.

Until robots can build and maintain robots. Should have become an engineer instead, that'd buy you way more time until skynet takes over.