“Apple Computer has said a report of labour conditions at its iPod plant in China found workers did more than 60 hours a week a third of the time… the report has been criticised by a leading international trade union organisation for not being independently verified,” BBC News reports.
“Janek Kuczkiewicz, director of human and trade union rights at the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), said he was not impressed by the report,” The Beeb reports. “Mr Kuczkiewicz said: ‘We are not impressed either by the report or by the findings of Apple. Apple interviewed just 100 people out of the estimated 30,000 iPod workers. We do not know the conditions in which the interviews were held. We have serious reservations about the report.'”
The Beeb reports, “The audit team said staff earned ‘at least the local minimum wage’ and that half of the 100 people it interviewed earned above that amount.” Mr Kuczkiewicz said Apple had not asked workers what they preferred – a decent wage or minimum wage and overtime. ‘We believe it is the workers’ role to monitor standards. That has not happened at the Apple plant in China. We would like to remind Apple there are other labour standards – freedom from discrimination, freedom of association and freedom to bargain collectively.'”
Full article here.
Related articles:
Apple releases ‘Report on iPod Manufacturing’ – August 17, 2006
Should Apple build its own factory in China to manufacture iPods? – July 03, 2006
iPod maker admits breaking Chinese labor laws; says Apple approved sweatshop labor – June 26, 2006
Apple begins ‘thorough audit’ of Foxconn iPod factory – June 20, 2006
Apple iPod manufacturer Foxconn sternly denies iPod sweatshop claims – June 19, 2006
Apple iPod ‘sweatshop’ story a ‘poorly researched sensationalist article’ – June 19, 2006
Apple rebuts Chinese iPod factory claims – June 13, 2006
iPods made in Chinese sweatshops? – June 13, 2006
Not an Apple plant – nice try though, Mr. Kuczkiewicz. Apple better get used to this slanted commenatry because when you are the King, everybody wants a piece of you (and you get blamed for everything).
Why should they have freedom to bargain collectively when we don’t even have it here?
(of course, I’m talking in reality, not on paper)
MW:Country – No matter what country you’re in, the working class gets screwed.
Maybe that Janek fellow needed to be reminded that:
a) the factory isn’t Apple’s but rather a supplier’s
b) The factory is in China, which happens to be a sovereign state, no matter how (dis)agreeable their policies might eb
c) just shut up!
So what exactly is Kuczkiewicz doing to help these people besides getting his name out there in a PR war? I hate when people point the finger, but who do the same. He may not have a supplier in China, but I bet most of the conveniences afforded to him were built in other places including China.
People never cease to amaze.
Hej Janek!
Facet Wyluzuj się!
PS:
Janek needs one of these:
http://iamnotstevejobs.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-dont-endorse-products.html
I haven’t read the report on the factories that Dell uses.
Difficult one to call really, that’s the problem when you try to impose western or even American values on the rest of the world. Large parts of the world have hugely different expectations as to living and working conditions. These guys are probably glad of the work. In China the best you expect holiday wise is about 5 days around the October festival and that’s generous.
Usually if people don’t think they are paid enough the quality of products falls. This doesn’t seem to be the case with the iPod.
People will complain about me using this
word, but it is so difficult to avoid calling
this a socialist, anti-corporate, BS attitude.
“Keep surveying people until you come up with
something negative. You are making a lot of
money, so you are evil.” To some people, the
world will not be right until we are all
wealthy, OR we are all standing in a soup
line.
i’m not saying that they’re not right, but how often are any human rights organisations and environmental organisations etc ever happy with anything?
It does not matter that the plant is not an Apple plant, Apple is expected to take responsible decision about who gets to assemble their kit. You guys seem to be om autopilot when it comes to your Apple-praise, of course Apple should be criticized when they screw up.
“of course Apple should be criticized when they screw up.”
OK, what did they screw up? I’m waiting.
Janek Kuczkiewicz, director of human and trade union rights at the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), said he was not impressed by the report.
We would like to remind Apple there are other labour standards – freedom from discrimination, freedom of association and <b>freedom to bargain collectively.</b?
Hmmmm Director of Human and Trade Union Rights. Gee, it isn’t diffficult to see where this dreeb is coming from.
I’ve got 2 tickets to China! Who’s wants to go?
I wonder how many times WAL-MART visit factoies of their suppliers ?
Yeah … what you guys said. Except, maybe, AKwasniewski – I don’t know what he said. And Nukeman‘s third point was misguided.
Charges were made – possibly by people with a stake in harming Apple. These charges were investigated and found to be mostly false. Where not actually false, they were exaggerated. Where conditions were found that did not meet Apple’s standards, they were, or are being, addressed – some were being addressed before the complaints were made.
Apple took it on themselves to hire an independent auditor to continue to monitor and report – satisfying one of K’s complaints.
Apple only spoke to 100 people, but they also checked physical premises and multiple thousands of records in confirming what they were being told.
K has a right to question the report. Unless he is willing to fund his own report, he should rein in his rhetoric a bit. The situation may not be perfect, but it’s closer to perfect than to what the charges suggested – AND it’s getting better, at least in part due to Apple’s investigation.
Janek Kuczkiewicz,
Life has been a bitch since the people threw out your Communist masters and made Poland a free Democracy.
Keep up the good work buddy. Communism will make a big comeback. Just hang in there.
I love the sound of free trade in the morning.
Chris, in case you’ve forgotten, China isn’t exactly a free country. The US should ‘impose’ the values of things like:
1. Freedom to not work as a slave
2. Freedom to be paid decently for your work.
3. Freedom to find new work.
4. Freedom to protest
5. Freedom from not being thrown in prison and being forced to work for free just for being a Christian.
Otherwise, US companies shouldn’t be doing business there.
“We would like to remind Apple there are other labour standards – freedom from discrimination, freedom of association and freedom to bargain collectively.”
Hmm…and these freedoms are guaranteed in Communist China…where? I’m not saying these people don’t deserve these freedoms, but if these freedoms aren’t guaranteed in a society that *isn’t* free to begin with, how is this Apple’s fault? From the report it looks like they are doing the best they can with whatever restrictions they have to work within due to this being A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COUNTRY. *ahem*…just a thought to consider.
Most of you are talking crap
People all over the world have expectations of a decent life and fair pay. It is not an American concept. Whether Dell or Wal Mart does the same or not is not the issue. As someone who has worked in China for American owned companies I can tell you that the workers there have feelings and want a better life for them and their family. Apple could do what is ethically correct and keep HR stuff in the plants that produce their products, not as a moral issuebut a finacial one; to keep their nose clean of international scrutiny.
Steve Jobs repeatedly stated during the roll out of the iTMS that “Stealing is Bad Karma” in reference to people engaging in file sharing. I’m no expert on Karma, but agree that stealing is definitely wrong by almost any theology or philosophy that one might follow. Stealing people’s labor is just as wrong as stealing the creative output of any artist.
Working 6 10-hour days a week and 7 at least 1 week a month for the minimum wage prevalent in China while living in sex segregated dorms is stealing when you are producing a product with the 25-30% profit margin common on Apple hardware. These workers have little choice, few options and are being exploited.
Most workers in these huge factories in China have been driven off of farms in small town China by the economic policies of the government and come to the cities seeking work. The only way they can legally stay in these cities is to accept work in such a factory and accept the ‘benefits’ that come with the job– no bargaining is the norm. Take it or get out of town are your options.
The contract producer factory audited by Apple in it’s report does seem to be better than the norm in China, but far below what it should be or could be. Mr Jobs, as a long time Apple shareholder and customer I expect better.
Well in another 10 or 20 years robotics will be replacing these guys in China and bring manufacturing back to the US and then these guys will be able to pursue other more usefull activities. You know travelling to India:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_War
or maybe a trip to Japan:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/21/AR2005102101933.html
You think they’ll bring camera’s?
Mac user 47
What gives the US the right to impose anything on soverign countries?
Who appointed the US to do that?
The US can dictate American owned companies on certain policies but that is where it ends. That is not to say that like you, it would like to tell the world what to do but that us not the topic.
Everyone knows that Apple is just another corporate monster abusing third world countries.