FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK - Shi Zhaokun was a 15-year old worker who died in October 2013 while he was an iPhone 5C production line worker in Pegatron (Shanghai) Ltd Co.
In December, China Labor Watch (CLW) had requested donations from the public to raise money for Shi Zhaokun’s family, helping them to pay for an independent autopsy that could help reveal the truth behind the deaths of several workers, including Shi Zhaokun. As a result, CLW received contributions of 950 RMB ($ 157.20) from China and $510 from other parts of the world. CLW itself also contributed another 2,000 RMB ($331).
Despite the support of people who respect workers’ lives and care about working conditions in Pegatron, the money raised was not enough for Shi’s family to pay for the autopsy. Additionally, because of the great expenses of hiring an attorney and difficulties in finding one who was willing to provide pro bono assistance, Shi’s family also gave up on bringing a lawsuit against Pegatron.
Ultimately, Shi’s family accepted compensation of 150,000 RMB ($24,820) from Pegatron, including 130,000 RMB ($21,512) from the factory and 20,000 RMB ($3,310) from Pegatron’s CEO. The total amount of money raised by CLW is also being given to the family.