Xbox Gaming in South Africa

Things nearly turned very bad in Wuhan, China recently when over 300 workers from console manufacturer Foxconn headed to the roof and threatened to jump following a dispute over unpaid compensation packages.

While Foxconn manufactures consoles for Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, those involved with the dispute and subsequent suicide threat were all working on the Xbox 360 side of things, according to a Kotaku report. Early last week the employees approached their employer requesting a raise, but were promptly told to either keep their jobs without an increase or quit with compensation. When said compensation wasn't paid out, the angry employees threatened mass suicide, but were eventually talked out of it by the Wuhan mayor.

A Microsoft spokesperson subsequently made the following statement on the matter to Kotaku:

"Microsoft takes working conditions in the factories that manufacture its products very seriously, and we are currently investigating this issue. We have a stringent Vendor Code of Conduct that spells out our expectations, and we monitor working conditions closely on an ongoing basis and address issues as they emerge. Microsoft is committed to the fair treatment and safety of workers employed by our vendors, and to ensuring conformance with Microsoft policy."

This is not the first time that employee suicides have been a problem at Foxconn plants; 14 staff members took their own lives in 2010, complaining of discrimination and long working hours, says a Want China Times report.

Definitely a different approach compared to the traditional rioting and vandalism which takes place during most large scale South African wage disputes.