TSMC's extreme work culture is putting off US workers, CEO says employees should have...

yRaz

Posts: 5,569   +7,736
its been this way for over 200 years... but people are more and more entitled... to do basic work you shouldnt be paid 20$ and hour....sorry...thats reserved for people that put in the time or degree.
I don't directly use my degree in my field but I make significantly more than $20/hr
 

mailpup

Posts: 7,828   +896
TS Special Forces
It's either "American" and "Taiwanese", or "Caucasian" and "Chinese".
Are you referring to nationality or "racial" group?
Not to put too fine a point on it but Americans are composed of many racial and/or ethnic groups, not only Caucasians. Also, Taiwanese are not all Chinese.
 

Kam7r

Posts: 361   +739
"Last month brought news that the extra expenses associated with setting up chip factories in the US compared to doing the same in Asia could see TSMC chips made in America cost 30% more than those manufactured in Taiwan."

Wow who knew environmentalists banning factories in the USA could drive them all to China.

Then the gigantic US govt and Biden decide by dictator fiat we want a few back, so we pay billions of inefficient taxpayers dollars to build them as well as suspend the environmental regulations for this plant and lithium mining because the left approves, rather than organic investment because the USA is actually a good place to do business.

All that and it's not going to work. 30% more means these dont have a chance in any free market.

but dont worry, billions of your middle class tax dollars are lining the ultra wealthy tmsc ceo's pocket. aint socialism grand.
"socialism" ?! LOL from the other side of the pond, your Biden is considered in the Right wing like all your presidents, I don't know why most of the guys in the us , call something "socialism" when it's clearly isn't ... so what would you call our social-democracies in the EU ? stalinism ? lol...
 

trieste1s

Posts: 122   +134
TechSpot Elite
Not to put too fine a point on it but Americans are composed of many racial and/or ethnic groups, not only Caucasians. Also, Taiwanese are not all Chinese.
Yes... so... my question: was he referring to nationality or race, or? Because we should be dealing with apples to apples, and it seems that he is comparing apples with oranges.
 

scavengerspc

Posts: 3,269   +3,551
TechSpot Elite
I don't know why most of the guys in the us , call something "socialism" when it's clearly isn't
Because it's a lot easier than actually learning. And ridiculous use of the word "socialism" doesn't even begin to point out the limits to their knowledge.

Anyway, I'm old enough to remember a time when if you couldn't cut it at a certain type of job or company, you simply went elsewhere. Employees adjust to the company they work for. It's simple as that, and the opposite should never be expected.

On the upside, I see this as a perfect fit for a sequel to the movie Gung-Ho.
 

saladbarsmash

Posts: 33   +16
FYI Taiwan is NOT China just like Canada is not the United States even though both are in North America...
Not sure what you mean, they're the same people, just the ones that want to be free, and were in a civil war with China (can't have civil war with another country) in 1949. Only difference is, they have two different governments, so yeah, they are the same people, so wiyosaya was correct. And any day for about 5 days, if China wanted, they could take over Taiwan. They also share a lot of the same work ethic and history.

taiwan.gov.tw/content_3.php
 

SixTymes

Posts: 213   +150
Their HR department is putting too much focus on the younger generation, much of the younger generation are lazy stay at home video game players who only come out to march at "pride" events.

HELLO CEO, There are plenty of hard workers in the US, shift focus towards those who NEED jobs and appreciate what your company produces. Consider hiring outside of the build locations.
 

Kashim

Posts: 373   +664
In essence, it sounds, to me, like the TSMC CEO is saying "I don't understand why American's don't want to work themselves to death like Chinese citizens do."
Really? To me it sounds more like "I'm an American, I deserve $40/hr unionized jobs and eight weeks paid vacation, no overtime, giant balls, scooters, and recliners in the office so I can goof off and also work from home if I feel like it. USA #1!" All the complaining and sense of entitlement is why other countries are running circles around the US.

I'm sure TSMC will have no trouble finding workers despite all the complaining. Maybe they'll have to bring in foreign workers though, and give these whiners a new thing to complain about "immigrants are stealing our jobs that we're too lazy to do ourselves!"
 

trieste1s

Posts: 122   +134
TechSpot Elite
Not sure what you mean, they're the same people, just the ones that want to be free, and were in a civil war with China (can't have civil war with another country) in 1949. Only difference is, they have two different governments, so yeah, they are the same people, so wiyosaya was correct. And any day for about 5 days, if China wanted, they could take over Taiwan. They also share a lot of the same work ethic and history.

taiwan.gov.tw/content_3.php
They're 2 very different cultures at the moment.
Otherwise I could also say, Canada and United States are the same people, based on the same level of lack of understanding.
 

Gastec

Posts: 471   +237
Are we now calling semi-slave labour, and in many cases child labour, as "work culture standards", so we won't offend the CCP?
 

Jack77

Posts: 39   +31
I would even say that people in EU that have decent social welfare (which also has its downsides) are more free than most people in the USA. In the USA you have some kind of freedom if you have lots of money and/or live in a remote area. Otherwise I think that there is mostly the illusion of freedom by being able to choose how you like their hamburger or sandwich. But in the end those are minor freedoms "granted" by the system, which is determined by large corporations (and some religious pressure groups).
 
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Gastec

Posts: 471   +237
30% more for American made chips?
Um, no thanks?
Maybe it's best these fab deals with TSMC fall through. It definitely doesn't look like it was well thought out on a few levels.
You are already paying full price for your chips, or even 2x full price, while the "full price" is constantly being increased, and you have been paying so for years. Full price = what the market is willing to swallow and these days the noobs like to swallow hard! It's all the same for them if they pay $200 or $500, the important thing is that it gets down their throats fast, so they can get excited for having cumsumed the latest and greatest product.
 
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toooooot

Posts: 2,279   +1,249
Oh ffs. Passion for staying 12 hours on the line and put a sticker to a product? Is he mad? Passion I can have for something creative, or for my family, not for bs job for minimum wage, where owner require me to work so much I could barely get time for sleep.
Sure, engineers creating new solutions should be driven to find better solutions and that gives satisfaction. But they even more needs to rest their heads and keep the balance or they will simply burn out - not something obviously he cares, he simply will put new people there to get the seniors' knowledge before they get fired.
If people do not feel good in the work it is solely management fault, not people's fault for not being 'passionate'. And sure, modern slaves from east asia slums do not have much other options, thankfully in US/EU situation is at least a bit better...
If it is a minimum wage then yes. If it is a low wage job that gives you experience to be hired by a Chinese company later to make 5 times more doing the same job then why not?
 

wiyosaya

Posts: 9,186   +8,825
Yeah, that's the thing though. There aren't that many chip plants in the US. It's like 6 companies operating 20 plants.
It's either "American" and "Taiwanese", or "Caucasian" and "Chinese".
Are you referring to nationality or "racial" group?
Really? To me it sounds more like "I'm an American, I deserve $40/hr unionized jobs and eight weeks paid vacation, no overtime, giant balls, scooters, and recliners in the office so I can goof off and also work from home if I feel like it. USA #1!" All the complaining and sense of entitlement is why other countries are running circles around the US.

I'm sure TSMC will have no trouble finding workers despite all the complaining. Maybe they'll have to bring in foreign workers though, and give these whiners a new thing to complain about "immigrants are stealing our jobs that we're too lazy to do ourselves!"
IMO, you are all missing the point.

When your job involves working 16-hours a day, you have no life other than your job. There's tons of research out there that says that taking breaks is KEY to creativity. No one, no matter the culture, skin color, or other distinguishing characteristics, should be subject to slave-like abuse from anyone or company.

If all of you want to work 16-hour days, feel free to do so; however, I doubt any of you could handle it for more than 6-months at the most. You would crash and burn.

Basically, what the CEO of TSMC expects for his hires is for them to do the work of two or more people. Why? So he can line his pockets with the sweat of their labor.

I think its interesting that during this "chat" with the TSMC CEO, no one apparently asked him the question - do you work 16-hour days like you are asking these people to do. I bet he would say something like "who me? I'm the CEO. It's not my place to do that" or terminate the interview when faced with the truth of the matter.

There are plenty of jobs in the US right now across all sectors. No one needs to work at TSMC, and no matter what the TSMC CEO, or anyone else, for that matter, thinks of US workers, there are US jobs elsewhere. I bet the retention rate of TSMC employees at this plant is dismal, and if the TSMC CEO thinks he can just replace them without hurting productivity, he will be taught a lesson and learn the hard way - that no matter the work policies at the other TSMC locations, he cannot treat people like slaves.
 

waclark

Posts: 1,117   +650
IMO, you are all missing the point.

SNIP

There are plenty of jobs in the US right now across all sectors. No one needs to work at TSMC, and no matter what the TSMC CEO, or anyone else, for that matter, thinks of US workers, there are US jobs elsewhere. I bet the retention rate of TSMC employees at this plant is dismal, and if the TSMC CEO thinks he can just replace them without hurting productivity, he will be taught a lesson and learn the hard way - that no matter the work policies at the other TSMC locations, he cannot treat people like slaves.
I think you're missing the point. Bad working conditions are bad, no one is debating that, but to suggest that the solution is just to "get another job" is a bit naïve. If you're a janitor or forklift driver, maybe it's not all that hard. If you're a manufacturing engineer specializing in semiconductor manufacturing, it's going to be a lot harder. Furthermore, different people have different situations meaning that you might not be able to just pack up and move to another state working for a different company. A quick check on Google shows that many semiconductor manufacturing jobs are in a handful of states like Oregon, California, Arizona and Texas. There is no amount of money that would get me to move to California or Oregon. California is super expensive and most of the Oregon plants are near Portland which is nothing short of a ****-show these days.

As for the reports of unpaid overtime, that can't happen in the US. At least not legally. I don't know anything about labor laws in Taiwan, but in the US we have pretty good laws that, for the most part, protect employees from being treated like "slaves".
 

trieste1s

Posts: 122   +134
TechSpot Elite
Are we now calling semi-slave labour, and in many cases child labour, as "work culture standards", so we won't offend the CCP?
It is not the CCP that rules Taiwan, which is where TSMC is from.

If you want to be an ally of freedom, then act like it and start by Googling some every essential facts about the East Asian theater of politics and culture.

And yes, apparently I know enough about the USA to use "freedom" as a trigger word to get people to shape up a lil' in their geopolitical knowledge, or maybe not, heh.
 
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dangh

Posts: 1,106   +1,829
If it is a minimum wage then yes. If it is a low wage job that gives you experience to be hired by a Chinese company later to make 5 times more doing the same job then why not?
no matter what wage it is, really, if someone requires you to work extra hours continuously which will affect your private life and time, then it is a scam, targeting vulnerable people who simply don't know they are modern slaves. Sure, in certain cases it is good to push yourself for couple of weeks to achieve some short-term goals, but anything more than that is already unhealthy process, which not only puts dent on your health and life balance, but as well gives feedback to the company that this is normal and should be required from everyone. This article is a best example of that.
 

lripplinger

Posts: 423   +234
It sounds more like a cultural thing too me. Asian people by and large, are driven to work hard from a young age by their parents. I also have seen many self entitled Americans who don't want put in the work. I know nothing of TSMC, and their corporate culture, but if they are demanding, then maybe it is not the right place for you?
 

toooooot

Posts: 2,279   +1,249
no matter what wage it is, really, if someone requires you to work extra hours continuously which will affect your private life and time, then it is a scam, targeting vulnerable people who simply don't know they are modern slaves. Sure, in certain cases it is good to push yourself for couple of weeks to achieve some short-term goals, but anything more than that is already unhealthy process, which not only puts dent on your health and life balance, but as well gives feedback to the company that this is normal and should be required from everyone. This article is a best example of that.
I know plenty of people who simply want nice things, like a lot of them. So they work a lot.
 

gamerk2

Posts: 861   +833
30% more for American made chips?
Um, no thanks?
Maybe it's best these fab deals with TSMC fall through. It definitely doesn't look like it was well thought out on a few levels.

Why is that shocking? Even before factoring in the additional costs of running a business in America, higher wages are going to lead to higher prices for goods. That's why the entire last 50 years of Western economic policy has been built around outsourcing production of goods, in order to lower costs and keep inflation under control.

Everyone wants "Made In America". But oddly, no one wants to pay the price hit that comes along with it.
 

dangh

Posts: 1,106   +1,829
I think you will find that slaves don't make a whole lot of money, not to mention they are not free to quit and find another master.
I think you're proving my point. Many people in those factories work in packaging, or supplying materials from trucks, they earn as little as possible. And engineers after years of study do not earn well in relation to the cost of living (paying back students loans I.e.) and don't have much money either...
And if that person have no to little education, some family to sustain, and works so much he cant even thing about anything else except some rest and just peace of mind - those people really rarely quits as this will potentially put their family at risk, and often, when they do actually quit and find other job very often the new job will be similar quality as old one and they going to repeat all that yet again.
 

dangh

Posts: 1,106   +1,829
I know plenty of people who simply want nice things, like a lot of them. So they work a lot.
Yes, I know such people as well. They work a lot, have nice things, and play with them 3 times a year. But they HAVE it, so they feel better about themselves no matter the fact they actively destroying their health and often social interactions.
I remember listen to Musk claims he is doing well to keep new generation coming - he said he is father of, like, 10 kids already? I was instantly struck by this claim... is he a father? Does he plays with kids every day, takes them for ice creams, plays baseball and so on? Hugs when they are hurt? Is he father or just inseminator? This is a huge difference, and way too many people do not understand that kids, if raised in proper family, would prefer a loving parents, than another iPhone. But if they are neglected, when they see the only thing parents care are money and not them, they will only require expensive stuff as they will align to the obvious guidelines.
 

waclark

Posts: 1,117   +650
30% more for American made chips?
Um, no thanks?
Maybe it's best these fab deals with TSMC fall through. It definitely doesn't look like it was well thought out on a few levels.
The thing is, if China gets a wild hair up their *** chip costs might go up more than 30%. Having fabrication capabilities in the US will ensure that we are not held hostage by the likes of China. Everyone always talks about not buying foreign products, to buy American to protect the American worker, to protest the human rights violations committed by China. But, when they get to the store what do they do; buy the cheapest product that fulfills their needs.