Apple Inc. and manufacturing partner Foxconn violated a Chinese labor rule by using too many temporary staff in the world’s largest iPhone factory, the companies confirmed following a report that also alleged harsh working conditions.
The claims came from China Labor Watch, which issued the report ahead of an Apple event on Tuesday to announce new iPhones. The non-profit advocacy group investigates conditions in Chinese factories, and says it has uncovered other alleged labor rights violations by Apple partners in the past.
We all know how this tune goes: Apple will claim once again it’s going to fix the issue with a sternly worded letter to Foxconn, nothing will change, and a year from now we’ll have another report of even more violations. It’s as routine as the September iPhone event.
Of course, Apple could, you know, use some of its 245 billion dollar stuffed in offshore tax havens to improve the lives of the people building its fancy gadgets, but that would imply a sense of morals and values that we know by now Apple simply lacks.
It could also use some of that 245 billion dollar fund to move the manufacture to a nation that has and maintains workers rights.
Would be safer to fire a cannon bullet in the foot. We’re speaking about companies that favor shareholders’ profit instead of workers’ condition and wages.
Thom, it seems that you don’t understand well the system we are living under… If Apple management would follow your advice, what should it tell to Apple shareholders? From a for-profit organization, we become a revolutionary workers’ party, right? 😛 Com’on! Companies are here to make a profit for their owners, everything else is just a decoration… And by owners, I also mean all “average Joes” who expect to increase their pension money through investments.