"Serious and pressing noncompliances" found in Foxconn factories, Apple promises change

4. Victor.H posted on 30 Mar 2012, 04:51 3

You should check out the full report below for all the details, but in a nutshell the biggest problem seems to be overtime.

Health hazards however are still there. They are vaguely described as aluminum dust, noise, bad thermal conditions and vibration. Now what's bad is that some young workers aged 16 or 17 (16 is the legal age to work in China) are working in such conditions.

And yes, Foxconn supplies Sony, Motorola and others, so this definitely applies to other companies as well. The highlight is on Apple because they are the biggest and its overseas workers are related to suicide scandals, etc.

6. Sniggly posted on 30 Mar 2012, 05:00 5

Separate plants make separate products, and conditions can vary widely from plant to plant. There is more demand for products from Apple so those workers might be driven harder than at other plants.

My own mother worked in a small factory chain for a while; one plant was well lit with more modern machinery, the other was poorly lit with more manual equipment and not as favorable working conditions overall.

11. remixfa posted on 30 Mar 2012, 06:36 2

correct, each plant is run differently depending on the client and the contract. the contract dictates the worker's compensation, and the client has a say in how the factory is run (and in apple's case, built). Which, again, is why the Xbox factory across the street from the ipod factory pays the workers well more than in the ipod factory and doesnt have the suicide problem.

It all sucks, some just suck more than others. Apple gets picked on not just because its their biggest client, but also because its among the lowest paid, highest suicided, and constant problems like factories blowing up.

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15. roscuthiii posted on 30 Mar 2012, 12:05 0

Exactly. I have seen the same thing at the company where I work... right here in the states.
Pay scale, OT policy, etc are all different for us even though we work for the same company in the same occupation. Some facilities are unionized, some are not so even benefits can vary.
It all hinges on what the terms, conditions, & obligations outlined at each facility are.

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5. Victor.H posted on 30 Mar 2012, 04:58 2

Andro, we report different points of view and since we haven't been at Foxconn factories, we can't have all the facts. I believe you are speaking about this here post:
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Working-conditions-at-Foxconn-way-above-average-workers-too-bored-though_id26946

It's actually based on the very same Fair Labor Association and words of its very same president quoted here. And yes, Apple is comparatively not much worse than other companies in treating overseas workers. Comparatively however is not good enough in this case.

7. andro. posted on 30 Mar 2012, 05:11 5

Agreed,comparatively is certainly not enough when it comes to alarming suicides rates,especially considering the unprecedented billions apple are making off it. Its about time for change now

8. PhoneArenaUser posted on 30 Mar 2012, 05:31 3

"Thing is Apple knew this your years and was happy to let the suicide count keep rising as long as they got their phones and they could keep gouging money from ifans. Only now it Will change because they have been caught out."

Agree!

12. remixfa posted on 30 Mar 2012, 06:38 3

there is no problem with making mad money. When it comes off the back of human rights violations and indentured slavery, then there is an issue with it.