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Wired News Looks at Apple Sweatshop Charges

Tuesday, June 13th, 2006 at 6:05 PM - by

In his latest Cult of Mac column, Leander Kahney examined the recent claims that the Chinese factories assembling Apple's iPods subject their workers to sub-standard conditions. Even if the factories meet international labor standards, he said, "Apple can expect a grilling from its upscale Volvo-driving fans in the months ahead."

Mr. Kahney looked at the charges closer, however, and noted that one of the iPod manufacturers involved is Foxconn, a company headquartered in Taiwan and part of Hon Hai Precision Industry, which is a major player in the electronics business. Hon Hai only employs 100,000 people in China, however, half the number that supposedly work at one of the plants.

In addition, Nicholas Lardy, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Economics, told Mr. Kahney that Hon Hai's reputation is excellent. And Christopher Foss of Social Accountability International said that one of Hon Hai's Chinese facilities has met international labor standards.

However, Dan Viederman of social research firm Verite said that while Chinese manufacturers "are getting better at environmental issues," they lag in labor standards and don't allow unions to form. Mr. Foss added that the sweatshop charges that have previously plagued other industries have now moved into the high-tech space because of the number of menial jobs available.

Mr. Kahney, who was unable to get a comment from Apple on the subject, wrote: "For Apple's demographic -- well-heeled urbanites -- human rights and labor practices are, presumably, important matters. They buy fair-trade coffee, but iBooks and iPods are not an issue?"

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Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:00 pm

Depending on what the surrounding economic conditions are there in China, being paid $50 per week may actually be good pay. When I was in western China, teachers who worked at the college were paid as little as $1.88 an hour, a decent lunch could be purchased for 30 cents, bottled water for 12 cents. This was a poor area of China. In Beijing, a taxi ran about $2. So unless you compare what things cost, you cannot simply compare it to US pay.

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gslusher said:

member since 13 Nov 2002 with 2088 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:12 pm

There is yet another factor that needs to be considered: the Chinese government has been known to hide the real working conditions at factories, taking visitors and inspectors to "show" plants, instead of the real factories. Some of their goods are apparently made in prisons, but they refuse to allow outside people access to the prisons. One needs to remember that, while China encourages entrepreneurs, it does not encourage, nor even tolerate, dissent, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, etc. Sweatshop conditions are only part of the human rights problems there.

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Actual Reality said:

member since 16 Aug 2005 with 44 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:29 am

this is also another case of apple being singled out because of it's high recognition... i will bet any money that most computer manufacurers who outsource to chinese companies have the same situations... the economy differences are important to note. as much as i think sweatshops are an issue, i'm starting to get sick of these industry-wide issues being blamed on apple.

the nike issue was one about children working the shops, this one doesn't mention young children working in shops from what i read, so i would have to consider this one a different issue of sorts.

this is something the chinese government needs to sort out, forcing US companies to change tactics will only help so much... the more US companies are forced out of china by american standards, the more expensive the products will become, resulting in better sales for the companies (from china, presumably) that don't need to abide by american standards... thus leaving the problem intact with american companies suffering. it sounds negative, but it's true.

also, apple is not responsible for what foxconn pays their employees. the pressure needs to be applied to these companies.

i reiterate, i am all for better wages all around the globe, but i think it's the home governments that need to be pressured, the american companies will follow suit if the governments do.

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Bosco said:

member since 03 Jun 2002 with 1002 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:13 am

Funny that nobody calls into question the Wired sweatshop in Elbonia. The children of Elbonia work for chicklets to mix all the funky colors that end up in Wired so that we can all assuage our techo-liberal guilt reading about how Chinese children make our iPods color pixel by color pixel and breath air from their own lungs into our Nikes. Never forget!

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