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Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, has gone on record to say that he is “deeply offended” by the BBC's accusations of poor working conditions at Chinese supply factories. The companies Apple uses for manufacturing have been criticized in the past but despite the firm taking a more proactive approach, the BBC's new Panorama investigation shows that the problem still very much persists.
Under cover reporters hired at Pegatron factories came across an exhausted work force, with many struggling to stay awake on the production line due to long 60 hour work weeks. Other issues included employees being forced to opt in to night shifts and candidates not properly undergoing health and safety tests.
Due to the serious nature of the allegations being levied at Apple today, the company was quick to respond. An internal memo sent to Apple employees and acquired by The Telegraph, attempts to discredit the BBC report: “Panorama's report implied that Apple isn't improving working conditions. Let me tell you, nothing could be further from the truth”.
The letter to employees was written by Apple SVP of Operations, Jeff Williams, who notes that “Tim Cook and I were deeply offended”.
“no other company is doing as much as Apple does to ensure fair and safe working conditions, to discover and investigate problems, to fix and follow through when issues arise, and to provide transparency into the operations of our suppliers.”
Apple's own engineers are apparently “constantly” at the factories, overseeing production and often report safety concerns and worker mistreatment.
You can read Apple's full letter to employees, HERE.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: It is not surprising that Apple was quick to respond to The BBC's claims. This is likely the pressure the company needed to put more pressure on suppliers to treat employees properly. Unfortunately, this isn't an Apple specific problem, many Chinese supply firms have issues with over crowding and poor work conditions.
Apple have always thought they were doing more and better than any other company and their products, where in reality they dont care about anyone else and there products technology is years behind android and others and every time they say there technology is ‘new’ or an ‘innovation’. No Apple, get your act together.
Apple have always cut corners to increase profits, whether it’s using outdated hardware and claiming its “cutting edge” or exploiting its manufacturing work force.
Just stop building things in China. Just STOP IT. Stop trying to engage a military dictatorship in a discussion about human rights. They’re NOT GOING TO LISTEN. Stop expecting dialog and engagement to do the trick. Nothing short of the overthrow of the communist government and establishment of real democracy in China and the United States will work (no, the United States does not have a real, multiparty democracy, and neither does Canada, the UK, Australia or any other country that doesn’t use some form of proportional representation).
We should slap tariffs on all goods made in China until their labour and environmental standards are proven by independent analysis to have improved sufficiently. That would move all that Western capital back to the West pretty damned quickly, and bring back our manufacturing jobs.
We must not trade freely with a totalitarian dictatorship and expect to be able to compete. Our standards will inevitably decline, rather than forcing theirs to rise. The only answer is to break off trade with these people until they get their act together. We are losing all our manufacturing, and with it, our middle class, as manufacturing is what makes a middle class possible.
““no other company is doing as much as Apple does to ensure fair and safe working conditions, to discover and investigate problems, to fix and follow through when issues arise, and to provide transparency into the operations of our suppliers.””
They’re doing everything that possibly can, except, um, to stop using Chinese sweat factories. Cause that would be just crazy.
I tend to try to buy from company’s that own there own factory’s because that’s the only true way to keep a check on workers rights apple should start building there own factory’s and live up to there claims but its not just apple doing this they just say things they cant keep a check on
CRapple is probably correct with statement-
No other company is doing as much as Apple does to ensure fair and safe working conditions.
But is 0.001% GOOD ENOUGH?????????????????????????????