Apple Under Fire For Factory Conditions As iPhone Launched

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Who cares about factory workers' rights? What about my right to buy an iPhone? What about my right to buy an iPad Pro for my eighteen month old kid? I have rights too you know.

The rights group's allegations include workers going for a month without a day off, wages being withheld for weeks and that the company failed to pay social security. "Dust, noise, polluted water and chemical substances are common problems on the shop floor," it added, with management "ignoring if workers were well-protected".
 
Why does this only come up during launches? Not like anybody else is any better (Kingston, Foxconn, etc).
 
Their outsourced customer service/sales/support teams aren't treated a whole lot better unfortunately. So it's not just an issue overseas. Damn first world problems :(
 
Because the iBots don't really care about the workers, all they care about is getting their shiny new iPhone.
 
nutzo said:
Because the iBots don't really care about the workers, all they care about is getting their shiny new iPhone.
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What electronic device have you bought that was manufactured in a caring country like America?
 
How is this Apple's problem again? They are another company doing business with Apple. Apple does not own them.
 
XvMMvX said:
How is this Apple's problem again? They are another company doing business with Apple. Apple does not own them.
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A company shares some responsibility for what happens in their supply chain. They reward contracts, and part of that contract rewarding decision process should be based on the fact that the contract manufacturer doesn't employ near-slave labor.

westrock2000 said:
What electronic device have you bought that was manufactured in a caring country like America?
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Exactly right. This is an industry wide problem.

Apple deserves criticism for this, but so do Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola, Dell, etc. etc.

The pressure needs to be kept on though, so it doesn't remain a "but everyone is doing it" proposition like ti is right now. We want all of our big top level brands to be telling their Chinese manufacturing sites to employ western world style worker protections and conditions, or you won't be getting any further contracts.
 
If we really cared about foreign worker conditions like we claim to do, we'd pass laws making importers/retailers legally accountable if any goods they import/sell were manufactured in conditions inconsistent with domestic Safety/work conditions laws.

This WOULD likely raise final goods costs a little, but it might just bring some manufacturing back home too.

large corporations today fire workers in markets where there are safety laws and legally protected work conditions, and hire workers in markets where no protections exist and they can be treated almost like slaves, and then claim no responsibility because it's their contractors, not them being abusive.

It's disgusting really. Make all goods need to meet the same requirements for labor standards no matter where in the world they are made, and make it the responsibility of the top level company to ensure that these are being followed in the entirety of their supply chain, and things will change.

Until that happens, these things will just be intentionally obfuscated under deeper and deeper layers of complex supply chains.
 
Oh yeah hold everyone to American wages and standards.. Would totally collapse the global economy but at least the peyote on he other side of the world would make more for a few min.
 
Steve one of the reasons I read your stuff here is for the great comments you make before the post.
"Who cares about factory workers' rights? What about my right to buy an iPhone? What about my right to buy an iPad Pro for my eighteen month old kid? I have rights too you know. "
This is great. I have rights as well. Who cares about them.
 
Gweenz said:
Why does this only come up during launches? Not like anybody else is any better (Kingston, Foxconn, etc).
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It's actually very much different.

Apple is a US Company and those factories are not Apple factories, those factories belong to another company entirely, Lens Technology which is not owned by Apple, Inc.

It's all bullshit, these are Chinese businesses in China where workers don't have the same level of protections as businesses in the US, and this Chinese human rights group is trying to shame Apple on the world stage in order o get them to influence their Chinese suppliers into doing what they can't get their own government to do. It's China's problem and can be fixed by China and the US needs to keep our noses out of it. How do we feel when the EU starts trying to tell us how things here in the US should change? Right.
 
bastage said:
Oh yeah hold everyone to American wages and standards.. Would totally collapse the global economy but at least the peyote on he other side of the world would make more for a few min.
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OSHA Standards, definitely. FLSA type standards, certainly. Wages, No

There is nothing wrong with leveraging the fact that some economies have lower costs of living than we do here, and thus wages can be lower.

We SHOULD be holding them to safety standards, freedom of movement (not being held prisoners in the company dorm for years on end), not being forced to work excessive hours, etc. etc.
 
lcpiper said:
these are Chinese businesses in China where workers don't have the same level of protections as businesses in the US, and this Chinese human rights group is trying to shame Apple on the world stage in order o get them to influence their Chinese suppliers into doing what they can't get their own government to do. It's China's problem and can be fixed by China and the US needs to keep our noses out of it. How do we feel when the EU starts trying to tell us how things here in the US should change? Right.
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Disagree. Certainly China and the Chinese companies are primarily responsible. But if an american company buys products or services from these companies and turns a blind eye to their abuses, that american company is complicit, as an enabler.
 
Zarathustra[H];1041875503 said:
A company shares some responsibility for what happens in their supply chain. They reward contracts, and part of that contract rewarding decision process should be based on the fact that the contract manufacturer doesn't employ near-slave labor.



Exactly right. This is an industry wide problem.

Apple deserves criticism for this, but so do Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola, Dell, etc. etc.

The pressure needs to be kept on though, so it doesn't remain a "but everyone is doing it" proposition like ti is right now. We want all of our big top level brands to be telling their Chinese manufacturing sites to employ western world style worker protections and conditions, or you won't be getting any further contracts.
Click to expand...

It's NOT an American problem, it's a Chinese problem and if the Chinese people and their government can't fix it then that's their problem too. I sure as hell don't want other countries trying to fix American problems.
 
lcpiper said:
It's NOT an American problem, it's a Chinese problem and if the Chinese people and their government can't fix it then that's their problem too. I sure as hell don't want other countries trying to fix American problems.
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Wrong.

Whenever you open your wallet, you are partially responsible for what happens to that money. If you support a company that brings you a product through unethical and immoral means, and you turn a blind eye to it, and give them your money, and thus your support anyway, you are just as responsible for those abuses as those committing them first hand, as your money is rewarding them for their practices.

You wouldn't buy so called "blood diamonds" because you know the proceeds go to warlords responsible for genocides in Africa. Same applies for everything else in the world.
 
Zarathustra[H];1041875526 said:
If we really cared about foreign worker conditions like we claim to do, we'd pass laws making importers/retailers legally accountable if any goods they import/sell were manufactured in conditions inconsistent with domestic Safety/work conditions laws.

This WOULD likely raise final goods costs a little, but it might just bring some manufacturing back home too.

large corporations today fire workers in markets where there are safety laws and legally protected work conditions, and hire workers in markets where no protections exist and they can be treated almost like slaves, and then claim no responsibility because it's their contractors, not them being abusive.

It's disgusting really. Make all goods need to meet the same requirements for labor standards no matter where in the world they are made, and make it the responsibility of the top level company to ensure that these are being followed in the entirety of their supply chain, and things will change.

Until that happens, these things will just be intentionally obfuscated under deeper and deeper layers of complex supply chains.
Click to expand...

And what about the other direction for a fix. Other countries start treating their people decently and costs for their services rises, they are forced to bid higher for contracts, their workers are better off, we pay a little more for the end product as does everyone else in the world who buys them, and we don't need to spick our noses in other countries' business creating resentment all over the place.
 
Zarathustra[H];1041875571 said:
Wrong.

Whenever you open your wallet, you are partially responsible for what happens to that money. If you support a company that brings you a product through unethical and immoral means, and you turn a blind eye to it, and give them your money, and thus your support anyway, you are just as responsible for those abuses as those committing them first hand, as your money is rewarding them for their practices.

You wouldn't buy so called "blood diamonds" because you know the proceeds go to warlords responsible for genocides in Africa. Same applies for everything else in the world.
Click to expand...

No, I AM NOT. If you want to carry the entire world's burdens on your shoulders go right ahead, but I won't let you lay it on mine.
 
lcpiper said:
No, I AM NOT. If you want to carry the entire world's burdens on your shoulders go right ahead, but I won't let you lay it on mine.
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Then you - sir - are responsible for slavery, human trafficking and worker abuses.

Just because you use an intermediary doesn't absolve you when you benefit from the suffering of others.
 
Oh yes, I'll join the other 40 billion on the globe who are all in the same boat. Won't loose any sleep over it either.

China is responsible for what goes on in China because I have no power to influence it. I don't buy the products I buy because they have a tag on them saying "Made in SlaverNation". I buy the products I buy because of their quality & their price & interoperability, Styling, and overall value. Yes price is part of it, but I can't control that price and it's foolish thinking to beleave I can or that I have any real influence compaired to say, a member of China's Government. I think they have a bit more say so don't you?

It's China's problem and China has the power to fix it. If you think the real way to do it is back-door eco-diplomacy fine. But it isn't the right way, but it is your choice. You know that word right? Choice, as in freedom to choose. We both have it, not everyone does. Not my fault they don't, their freedom is something they have to gain themselves.

But hey, we could start another war right, maybe freedom for China will go over better then freedom for the Middle-East has. I have no crystal ball. But I am thinking that if I remember correctly, you are one of the ones here who isn't so much in favor of the US pushing it's ideas on the world, starting shit, etc. Is my memory dealing me false?
 
westrock2000 said:
What electronic device have you bought that was manufactured in a caring country like America?
Click to expand...

I'm not a hipster that pretends I care, while buying a shiny new iPhone every year.

I also didn't buy my phone from a company they pretends to be better and more socially responsible than other companies.
 
Gweenz said:
Why does this only come up during launches? Not like anybody else is any better (Kingston, Foxconn, etc).
Click to expand...

XvMMvX said:
SHHHHHH.... Don't let facts get in the way of the sheep/hipsters on here. Its cool because Samsung/Android.
Click to expand...

The reason many point out these issues with Apple is that they have long claimed they are a "nicer" company than all the rest, and when you do that you can't use the "everybody else does it" excuse.
 
lcpiper said:
But hey, we could start another war right, maybe freedom for China will go over better then freedom for the Middle-East has. I have no crystal ball. But I am thinking that if I remember correctly, you are one of the ones here who isn't so much in favor of the US pushing it's ideas on the world, starting shit, etc. Is my memory dealing me false?
Click to expand...

Are you seriously implying the US occupied Afghanistan and Iraq to bring freedom?
 
nutzo said:
I'm not a hipster that pretends I care, while buying a shiny new iPhone every year.

I also didn't buy my phone from a company they pretends to be better and more socially responsible than other companies.
Click to expand...

Exactly!
 
Prod1702 said:
Steve one of the reasons I read your stuff here is for the great comments you make before the post.
"Who cares about factory workers' rights? What about my right to buy an iPhone? What about my right to buy an iPad Pro for my eighteen month old kid? I have rights too you know. "
This is great. I have rights as well. Who cares about them.
Click to expand...

Let's band together to protect our rights! :D
 
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