Apple and Foxconn Admit Hiring Too Many Temporary Workers in China to Assemble iPhones, Potentially Violating Labor Laws

[gnomeisland]

As I mentioned in another post, prices will eventually reach parity through manufacturing efficiencies realized in the USA over time.

Apple could have easily invested in USA production facilities instead of spending so much money on share buybacks and a showpiece corporate campus.

And to your point, if manufacturing is going to be automated, I’d rather have it automated here in the USA. There are a lot of jobs involved in automation. Those jobs should be here, not China.

Again, margins over morals.

It really isn't that simple. I don't believe any country has the electronics manufacturing infrastructure that China has these days. Many companies are looking to move, or at least divest, manufacturing out of China but that's proving almost impossible.

The biggest point that seems to be missing is that APPLE IS NOT A MANUFACTURER. They haven't been for DECADES, pre-Time Cook, pre-Steve Jobs (return). Yes, it is good that they are taking the responsibility for their supply chain. Yes, they should be held accountable by the media, but the truth is they are still one of the best and most responsible tech companies operating today.

 

[Khedron]

As I mentioned in another post, prices will eventually reach parity through manufacturing efficiencies realized in the USA over time.

Apple could have easily invested in USA production facilities instead of spending so much money on share buybacks and a showpiece corporate campus.

And to your point, if manufacturing is going to be automated, I’d rather have it automated here in the USA. There are a lot of jobs involved in automation. Those jobs should be here, not China.

Again, margins over morals.

The problem with modern capitalism is zero value is associated with providing a living for people. A company that paid every one of its employees millionaire salaries but then finished each year with zero profit would be considered a massive failure, whereas one that pushes all of its employees into de facto poverty and rewarded its CEO and handful of shareholders with billion dollar bonuses would be hailed as a huge success.

At this point the wealth inequality is beyond simple greed and is just spiteful evil. Tim Cook cannot possibly spend the money he's paid in 10 lifetimes yet he still wants to grind every cent out of his customers and employees as a perverse power play.

 

[1050792]

And after that, people might come to realise Apple as a company doesn't have such a culture by accident. A bit of research and this kind of hubris is what runs the modern economy. Will that change any time soon?

Nothing will change, because people are willing to accept this and shell their cash away for the new toy every year. Consumerism.

 

[ghanwani]

“One more thing...”

Apple’s damage control team has been working overtime the last few days.

 

[djlythium]

I remember when Apple was part of a coalition of corporations advocating for a substantial change in the corporate social norm away from strictly appeasing shareholders, and being more humanitarian.

...sigh... Those where the good ol’ days.
[doublepost=1568034978][/doublepost]

Apple only cares when they're caught because it makes them look bad.

If Apple was really concerned and cared about making sure their contractor's employees were treated fairly and "with dignity and respect," they could staff several of their own employees at Foxconn during the ramp up period to make sure Apple's high standards are being adhered to by Foxconn.

As it is now, Apple's letting the Fox(conn) guard the hen house.

That’s what I was thinking. Why doesn’t Apple have its own undercover employees?

 

[ghanwani]

I remember when Apple was part of a coalition of corporations advocating for a substantial change in the corporate social norm away from strictly appeasing shareholders, and being more humanitarian.

...sigh... Those where the good ol’ days.

You fell for what was a PR stunt!

 

[djlythium]

You fell for what was a PR stunt!

Let’s be clear: when it was announced, I called out that PR stunt for what it was. Here, I was reflecting on that stunt. I probably should’ve added /s.

 

[Scottsoapbox]

Apple just didn't make a small mistake, they made a major one. The limit is 10% and Apple hired 50%. HALF of the workforce is temp workers.

Apple clearly knew what they were doing here. That's crazy that they think they could get away with half their workforce being temps.

Not crazy, they probably did get away with it in prior years.

 

[macfacts]

It’s Foxconn and China, Apple just uses them because it makes sense from a business perspective. I bet 90%+ of the people outraged by this don’t actually care, they only pretend to care because Apple is in the headline.

It's that why apple outsourced the work for listening to Siri recordings? Hopping to brush off the blame.

 

[now i see it]

Once again (this happens sooooo many times) Apple backtracking & making up excuses AFTER getting busted. Guess it's business as usual for this company

 

[MarkB786]

Why should anyone be surprised and this is why many companies manufacture products there to cut cost and maximize profit.

I think Apple fans might be "surprised' that their "can do no wrong" company is actually much like any other company. Labor, privacy, and quality have all been brought into question over just a few short weeks.

 

[Justanotherfanboy]

If I had to, I would pay more to have these phones built in the United States, by American workers.

If Apple cared more about its morals than its margins, they would build them in the United States.

It’s clear where Tim Cook stands on this. All their PR talk about civil rights and human rights idols rings hollow given their work with China. It’s a Corporate farce and the joke’s on us.

Shame on you Tim.

Omg, this again??!!
*sigh*
These jobs are ALL headed towards automation.
The hallmark of a 1st world country in the very near future will be how few of their citizens are forced to perform menial labor...
Unless you are calling for America to lose its status as a world leader, & embrace garbage jobs en masse, right as it becomes most important to do precisely the opposite- I’m unsure your endgame here.
To me: it is absolutely un-American, unpatriotic (and honestly, a bit mean) to want these jobs performed here.
I’m sure YOU don’t want to do assembly work in a factory, having your livelihood based on something nobody wants to do & is well on its way to being fully automated. I’m sure you don’t want your children/loved ones to be in that situation either.
Are you just imagining some faceless “poor” doing your bidding??
I’d be careful about the finger pointing and attempt at publicly shaming others, when your suggestion is at odds with altruism, realism, & everything a positive technology-driven “world AI leader” future for this great country would look like.

 

[Expos of 1969]

For a moment let's focus on the bigger picture and not individual companies or even specific industries. There is a huge problem with the current mindset, focus, obsession...call it what you will...with the mantra of "growth at all cost". No longer is it acceptable, feasible or even wanted (by hedge funds, stockholders, Wall Street) for a good company (big or small sized) making excellent products in an ethical and honest manner, treating its employees with respect and decent remuneration to want to continue to do so without trying to grow / expand. This is the cancer of the current capitalism model and it will lead nowhere good.

 

[Tonewheel]

Adopting the American way. Screw the workers...

 

[Strelok]

It's that why apple outsourced the work for listening to Siri recordings? Hopping to brush off the blame.

Think for a moment. What kind of education/skills do you need to do that or the jobs mentioned in the article? Exactly, basically just have a pulse and you can do it. Why would anyone pay more than $10-12/hour for those menial tasks? Most of the assembly jobs will be replaced by automation at some point or we will go to another country that has cheap labor.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Oh well.

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

When will Apple and their ilk finally STOP using slave labor? When I stop buying their products?

 

[IPPlanMan]

Omg, this again??!!
*sigh*
These jobs are ALL headed towards automation.
The hallmark of a 1st world country in the very near future will be how few of their citizens are forced to perform menial labor...
Unless you are calling for America to lose its status as a world leader, & embrace garbage jobs en masse, right as it becomes most important to do precisely the opposite- I’m unsure your endgame here.
To me: it is absolutely un-American, unpatriotic (and honestly, a bit mean) to want these jobs performed here.
I’m sure YOU don’t want to do assembly work in a factory, having your livelihood based on something nobody wants to do & is well on its way to being fully automated. I’m sure you don’t want your children/loved ones to be in that situation either.
Are you just imagining some faceless “poor” doing your bidding??
I’d be careful about the finger pointing and attempt at publicly shaming others, when your suggestion is at odds with altruism, realism, & everything a positive technology-driven “world AI leader” future for this great country would look like.

First of all, no job that provides for yourself or your family is a garbage or menial job. Your stated belief on this is an arrogant and condescending way to look at the world and at the people who work these jobs to take care of themselves and others. Anyone who puts in a hard day’s work for whatever it pays has my respect and admiration.

I will do what I have to do to provide for myself and my family, so yes, I would work this job, but with worker protections that you find in America.

You have to make a decision about what you believe here because you’re expressing cognitive dissonance:

You’ve said these are garbage, menial jobs. However, you’re apparently ok with Chinese people doing these jobs in China... because that way it’s off your conscience. You can’t have it both ways.

On the other hand, I would support having these jobs here in the USA, with appropriate worker protections. Apple is an American company. It should bring these jobs back to the States.

And if things go the way of automation, that should happen here, not in China. There are jobs involved in automation you know.

 

[MoreRumors?]

No way! Only Apple able to make maximum profits due to low manufacturing cost.... remember Apple takes 9% Mobile phone profits than its competitors....

But modern day slavery is like this temporary workers, Asian manufacturing hub, worst working condition, dealing with hazardous work environments.....at lowest cost! When mistakes happen, there is always supplier issue, supplier components issue but when things go well, it is due to well knitted and integrated ecosystem of hardware and software

It is lower labor cost and benefits. If it were low manufacturing cost, it would be produced in the U.S. Just look at the number of employees hired to assemble the iPhones.

 

[Expos of 1969]

When will Apple and their ilk finally STOP using slave labor? When I stop buying their products?

Have you stopped, thinking about stopping or don't care?

 

[MoreRumors?]

I think Apple fans might be "surprised' that their "can do no wrong" company is actually much like any other company. Labor, privacy, and quality have all been brought into question over just a few short weeks.

I agree and you will always be accused of being an Android fanboy or posting on the wrong forum.

 

[Wondercow]

Just a whiff of homophobia from your use of the "in the closet' phrase?

You can confirm that when Apple release the new Lavender/Lilac phone in a few days with a "for THOSE people" quip...

I'd be pretty sure Apple staff including the CEO keep their reports, even damning ones, electronically or in a locked drawer.

Or, y'know, it’s simply the English idiom to have skeletons in one's cupboard/closet. It says a lot about you that you jump to the assumption it’s a reference to Tim being gay, and then double down with proclamations about what the next slur will be.

In this case, you’re the prejudiced one.

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

Have you stopped, thinking about stopping or don't care?

Thinking about stopping.

 

[Ramchi]

For a moment let's focus on the bigger picture and not individual companies or even specific industries. There is a huge problem with the current mindset, focus, obsession...call it what you will...with the mantra of "growth at all cost". No longer is it acceptable, feasible or even wanted (by hedge funds, stockholders, Wall Street) for a good company (big or small sized) making excellent products in an ethical and honest manner, treating its employees with respect and decent remuneration to want to continue to do so without trying to grow / expand. This is the cancer of the current capitalism model and it will lead nowhere good.

Must be etched in Gold
[doublepost=1568044271][/doublepost]

Here's another reason why Apple cannot bring iPhone manufacturing to the U.S.

Foxconn cannot so easily exploit their workers, and Apple cannot easily look the other way.

Is it not true that Apple has substantial stakes in Foxconn??

 

[Mousse]

Meh. The only thing I found shocking was that China has labor laws. I thought they didn't care about anything except the almighty dollar/yuan. This is the place that makes fake rice (plastic and potato starch), fake eggs (I don't even want to know), fake anything, for a buck. Someone manage to violate those labor laws is even more shocking.

People can claim Apple ain't responsible all they want; they're responsible. As the old adage goes, "You are judge by the company you keep." Birds and feathers and flocking...all that good stuff.