In Shanghai's outskirts, Huojian Village is a world unto itself
Apple Inc became the first publicly-listed US company with a US$2 trillion market valuation on Wednesday. Behind the company’s performance are tens of thousands of Chinese migrant workers, who work day and night in the suburbs of Shanghai in an iPhone assembly factory.
“I tighten about 4,000 screws on the iPhone assembly line every day,” said Fan Zhenhua from Kaifeng City, in central China’s Henan Province.
Fan, a college freshman, came to Shanghai with a friend only two months ago. They arrived in Huojian Village in the Pudong New Area, planning to get summer jobs to earn some money and enjoy the city. Huojian literally means “rocket” in Chinese.
Although only 1.3 square kilometers, the town has the second largest iPhone assembly factory after Foxconn in China. According to news reports, 50 percent of the world’s iPhones come from Pegatron Technology Shanghai, located in Huojian Village.
An aerial view of Pegatron Technology Shanghai in Huojian Village. Established in 2004, the company is the second largest iPhone assembly factory in China.
Night-shift workers in pink anti-static shirts go into the factory in the evening.
A worker eats dinner at the factory entrance.
Workers clock in to work.
Fan and his friend were hired as vocational workers at the factory, where they worked together with another 50,000 employees to produce mobile phones, tablets and other cutting-edge electronics. According to Pegatron’s official website, the company’s customers include big technology names such as Apple, Dell and Toshiba.
Fan said he worked six days a week, 12 hours a day and had a 10-minute break every two hours. Although the factory is only 20 kilometers from downtown Shanghai, he hardly had any time to leave the village in July, except for one visit to the Bund.
Fan said he couldn’t learn much on the assembly line, so he decided to quit and go home. “It is not the same Shanghai I used to imagine. Maybe it’s too humid here,” he said.
Fan Zhenhua eats at a noodle shop after a 12-hour shift.
Labor market
On the Zhouchuan Highway, which runs through Huojian Village, newcomers arrive to find work. Besides the assembly lines, there are many vacancies in the service industry, usually with a daily salary of no more than 200 yuan (US$29).
“Due to the epidemic, fewer people come for jobs,” said Chen Kang, a labor agent. “Pegatron has stopped hiring people recently. Maybe Sino-US trade disputes result in fewer orders? But I have other job opportunities, both in Shanghai and other places. Would you like to try?”
Chen Kang at the door of his labor agency
A worker waits at a labor agency. Different job postings are listed on the wall behind him.
Across the street, a man surnamed Zheng was smoking at the door of another labor agency. He just resigned from Pegatron and immediately found a temporary job in delivery sorting.
“I came to Pegatron in March, but the salary was too low. My monthly salary is 3,500 yuan with a bonus of 1,000 yuan. I can’t save much after deducting accommodation expenses,” Zheng said. He added that he can earn 170 yuan per shift doing night-shift sorting.
Zheng (left) talks to a labor agent and gets a job sorting parcels.
New workers wait to be taken to a factory by bus outside a labor agency.
Small town entertainment
At 7pm, day-shift workers left the Pegatron factory. Suddenly, the street was bustling with noise and activity.
The night market opposite the Pegatron factory is the most popular place in the village. Customers can total 13,000 on weekdays, and sometimes 40,000 on weekends.
Compared with downtown Shanghai, food is relatively cheap at the market. A meal can cost just 10 yuan. The ground is soaked with oil stains and the air is filled with the smell of smoke. This is a place where workers eat and enjoy themselves at night.
Day-shift workers leave the factory at 7pm.
The night market is a place where workers eat and enjoy themselves.
Customers can total 13,000 on weekdays, and sometimes 40,000 on weekends.
Compared with downtown Shanghai, food is cheap at the market.
A worker eats dinner and watches the sunset from a bridge.
Outside the night market, there are small shops with snacks, groceries, electronics and Internet cafes along a 300-meter street.
Cai Lili, who had just gotten off work, was rushing to dance with her friends. The 23-year-old is a packer on the new iPhone assembly line.
“I like to go out to enjoy life after work. I went to Disneyland with my friends last month,” Cai said. “But we didn’t go in. The tickets are too expensive.”
According to Cai’s plan, when the new iPhone is released, she will leave Huojian Village to look for a new job somewhere else in Shanghai.
There are small shops with snacks, groceries, electronics and Internet cafes along a 300-meter street.
Tickets are discarded at a lottery store, one of the busiest places in the village.
Many workers spend their leisure time in Internet cafes, where they can immerse themselves in games or movies.
Rocket Village is only one station away from Shanghai Disneyland, but most workers have never been there.
(Guo Bei contributed to the story)
