The Human Cost of an iPad

starbelgrade

Concern over human cost overshadows iPad launch

By Martin Hickman

Thursday May 27 2010

The American electronics giant Apple was investigating damaging allegations last night that Chinese workers making its new iPad device were subjected to such "inhumane" treatment that some of them took their own lives by jumping off factory roofs.

An update to the US firm's supplier codes in February revealed that a majority of its 102 facilities flouted its "rigorous" rules on working hours, which include a weekly limit of 60 hours a week - equivalent to 12 hours a day. Some 39pc broke rules on workplace injury prevention and 30pc broke guidelines on the management of toxic chemicals.

Audits uncovered violations involving child labour, falsified records and disposal of hazardous waste.

The company has been embarrassed by publicity surrounding 11 suicide attempts at the vast Foxconn facility near the southern boom city of Shenzhen, where the iPad is made, which threatens to overshadow the global launch of the touch-screen computer tomorrow.

Yesterday a "saddened and upset" Apple promised to investigate whether the plant, which employs 300,000 people who earn around 35 cents an hour, should continue to make its products, which sell for hundreds of euros each.

At the 1.2-square mile Foxconn facility, which also makes products for Dell, Hewlett Packard and Acer, nine workers have died and two have been gravely injured in roof jumps in the first five months of 2010.

All the incidents involved workers aged under 25, who apparently have been disturbed by the long shifts and strict discipline. Talking and music are banned during shifts, which last at least 10 hours. Workers must perform a certain number of repetitive operations per shift, under the eye of allegedly harsh military-style supervisors.

In an attempt to prevent more suicides, the Taiwanese-owned firm has hired 2,000 singers, dancers and gym trainers. It is also putting up netting to thwart future suicides.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/concern-over-human-cost-overshadows-ipad-launch-2196991.html

Would reports like this affect your decision to buy the product?

ciano1

Pity apple won't humans as payment for an ipad

stovelid

starbelgrade wrote: »

Yesterday a "saddened and upset" Apple promised to investigate whether the plant, which employs 300,000 people who earn around 35 cents an hour, should continue to make its products, which sell for hundreds of euros each.

lol

The_Kew_Tour

and we think things are bad here in this country

storm2811

Maybe,but there's not much you can do,nearly everything is "made in china/vietnam/malysia" etc.
And nearly all the working conditions in these places are the same as above.



apple suck anyway!

NothingMan

In an attempt to prevent more suicides, the Taiwanese-owned firm has hired 2,000 singers, dancers and gym trainers. It is also putting up netting to thwart future suicides.

Don't train them too well, they might revolt.

weeder

nope,

I am living in China now and for China standard this salary is HIGH if compared with other Companies. They also receive food and dormitory and health insurance.

And the life cost here is much lower, in other words you can make much more here in China with USD 280

from another forum.

Only now I realized, if there is actually 300,000 workers at the factory, 9 suicides is nothing. The general suicide rate in china is much bigger(13.9 per 100,00 per year), for 300,000 and as we are almost at half of the year, one should consider a number of suicides of about 20 as being normal...

from same forum

also good to note that this plant isnt an ipad factory, it makes all sorts of electronics including games consoles and whatnot so to single out apple isnt really too fair

bleg

No, I won't buy it cause it's crap

stovelid

It could be worse: they could be assembling aesthetically inferior PCs.

/rubs cock lovingly against Apple hardware.

Bucklesman

starbelgrade wrote: »

Would reports like this affect your decision to buy the product?

The working conditions of the people who make our shiny things should affect everyone's decisions when they buy. Unfortunately most of us are distracted by the shininess. It's an absolute disgrace.

dr.bollocko

They make parts for Dell and HP as well as Apple. Amongst many many others.
No doubt it's a crap place to work but it's just one of apple's overseas manufacturing partners. They are one of many customers for this company. I guess the larger question is should these companies be pressured by a media frenzy to cancel contracts and somehow improve PR until everyone forgets about the existance Foxconn.
It's not like companies like Apple actually care about these people. They only care about the negative PR and how they can spin it. If a couple of dumb HR maneuvres can be publicised enough it might all just go away so people can buy the next shiny thing.

starbelgrade

adrian280582 wrote: »

and we think things are bad here in this country

Their wages would work out at about 1000 dollars a year. :eek:

starbelgrade

I have no interest in the well being of suicidal Chinese people..

starbelgrade wrote: »

Their wages would work out at about 1000 dollars a year. :eek:

Not in anyway relevant to anything at all ever.

weeder

stovelid wrote: »

It could be worse: they could be assembling aesthetically inferior PCs.

.

but they do

starbelgrade

dr.bollocko wrote: »

They make parts for Dell and HP as well as Apple. Amongst many many others.
No doubt it's a crap place to work but it's just one of apple's overseas manufacturing partners. They are one of many customers for this company. I guess the larger question is should these companies be pressured by a media frenzy to cancel contracts and somehow improve PR until everyone forgets about the existance of the company.

In fairness, I think there's bigger questions than that in this debate.

alwaysadub

Couldn't afford one anyway.

davyjose

Yesterday a "saddened and upset" Apple promised to investigate whether the plant, which employs 300,000 people who earn around 35 cents an hour, should continue to make its products, which sell for hundreds of euros each.

This guy?

stovelid

weeder wrote: »

but they do

Don't.

RolandIRL

i wouldn't buy Apple. was on a mac for the first time this week :eek: and found it absolutely sh*te. annoying to use


Anything else > apple

LD 50

dr.bollocko wrote: »

They make parts for Dell and HP as well as Apple. Amongst many many others.
No doubt it's a crap place to work but it's just one of apple's overseas manufacturing partners. They are one of many customers for this company. I guess the larger question is should these companies be pressured by a media frenzy to cancel contracts and somehow improve PR until everyone forgets about the existance Foxconn.
It's not like companies like Apple actually care about these people. They only care about the negative PR and how they can spin it. If a couple of dumb HR maneuvres can be publicised enough it might all just go away so people can buy the next shiny thing.

This actually happened before with a company in asia that made clothing for Dunnes or Pennys or one of our cheap clothing shops. Someone brought to light the bad working conditions in the factory, hoping to improve conditions for the workers. Instead, Pennys/Dunnes or whoever it was just pulled out and went somewhere else, causing all the people in the factory to lose their jobs.

dr.bollocko

starbelgrade wrote: »

In fairness, I think there's bigger questions than that in this debate.

The media takes something to heart and puts a focus on it ad infinitum. Big companies get pressured by that and decide if they want to be associated with said sinister story.
Apple do not care about the employees in that factory. They care only about PR and selling more products. They'll appear to react and make a bunch of BS statements about looking into this and re-examining that. Any kind of consumer boycott or tainting of a product will merely reflect that which is already in public media and do something which will make their products heavier. They do not care about the workers. They don't care if we care about the workers. They only care about making money. So they'll probably just cut ties with Foxconn and people with crap jobs will instead be people with no jobs.

brummytom

Thread should come with a 'sensationalist bullshit' warning, tbh

Mr Benevolent

I refuse on principle to buy Apples goods because Apple users are insufferably smug about devices that do nothing new or unique.

DO YOU HEAR ME, APPLE FANS? NOTHING NEW OR UNIQUE!

Oh, and that factory stuff is terrible. Terrible.

starbelgrade

dr.bollocko wrote: »

The media takes something to heart and puts a focus on it ad infinitum. Big companies get pressured by that and decide if they want to be associated with said sinister story.
Apple do not care about the employees in that factory. They care only about PR and selling more products. They'll appear to react and make a bunch of BS statements about looking into this and re-examining that. Any kind of consumer boycott or tainting of a product will merely reflect that which is already in public media and do something which will make their products heavier. They do not care about the workers. They don't care if we care about the workers. They only care about making money. So they'll probably just cut ties with Foxconn and people with crap jobs will instead be people with no jobs.

And the capititalist monster roams on to newer pastures.

Lifelike

whiteman19 wrote: »

i wouldn't buy Apple. was on a mac for the first time this week :eek: and found it absolutely sh*te. annoying to use


Anything else > apple

I don't know how one can even compare Windows to Mac OS. Mac wins hands down in every category, even if no viruses is the only reason.

starbelgrade

Lifelike wrote: »

I don't know how one can even compare Windows to Mac OS. Mac wins hands down in every category, even if no viruses is the only reason.

I've been using Windows for years & I haven't had so much as a cold.

TerrorFirmer

Lifelike wrote: »

I don't know how one can even compare Windows to Mac OS. Mac wins hands down in every category, even if no viruses is the only reason.

that makes no sense whatsoever. Much like many mac owners reasons for owning macs.

nyarlothothep

Most brands are engaged in this practice. Basically they have their goods produced by subcontractors, a pyramid scheme with the people who do the actual work at the bottom. Essentially the brand can focus on the marketing aspect and get away with investing as little as possible in the production. If workers get unionized or begin getting paid too much the corporations relocate to nations which vainly hope that they will get some of the benefits of a trickle down economy by having a multinational on their shores. Its a downright disgrace and unjustifiable. The abuses which go on these factories include from working until you die of exhaustion or disease, sexual harrasment and the miniscule pay level, which under normal circumstances contravene the labour laws of the host country. Once again it just highlights how far "humans" have to evolve. Its part of the whole system of the collusion of corporate and state elite control which needs to be reformed. But you can start by simply boycotting these brands and spreading the information about what they get up to. Its part of a long process of shifting public perception en masse such that the political culture doesn't allow such practices to continue. Kind of like the way in which having slaves is no longer permissable.

Panda

Maybe its a smear campaign designed to sort this cockahoop out http://www.ismashphone.com/2010/05/its-happened-apple-is-now-worth-more-than-microsoft.html

m@cc@

starbelgrade wrote: »

Would reports like this affect your decision to buy the product?

In other news: Nike, Adidas, Coca Cola & McDonalds profits plummet over ethical concerns.

The reality is the majority of the world doesn't really give a toss about working conditions in China. They just care about how they can afford their shiny new iPad.

mikom

starbelgrade wrote: »

The Human Cost of an iPad

Would reports like this affect your decision to buy the product?

I'm not a women, so I've no use for sanitary towels.

Dman001

Sigh how many times does it have to be said that they manufacture products for many Tech firms such as Dell, HP, Motorola, Amazon, Nintendo, Sony etc.

Yet everytime I read the media reports on the factory and the recent controversy, Apple is the only company mentioned. Is it because of Apple's positive PR over the last couple of years that they are the only company mentioned?

m@cc@

Dman001 wrote: »

Sigh how many times does it have to be said that they manufacture products for many Tech firms such as Dell, HP, Motorola, Amazon, Nintendo, Sony etc.

Yet everytime I read the media reports on the factory and the recent controversy, Apple is the only company mentioned. Is it because of Apple's positive PR over the last couple of years that they are the only company mentioned?

I wasn't aware that Apple were particularly targeted. But it can be any of the major conglomerates take part in human explotation of some sort. Of course they do, that's why their manufacturing takes place in South East Asia.

It just amuses me when you see one particular story in regards to this. Today's front page news, tomorrows fish supper wrapper.

Forest Master

ciano1 wrote: »

Pity apple won't humans as payment for an ipad

What?

jesus_thats_gre

Was there not some study performed where they compared suicide rates per 100,000 in China to that of that Foxconn plant and found that the Foxconn staff were slightly less like to commit suicide?

Edit:

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-and-dell-investigating-the-foxconn-working-conditions-2010-5

In fact, at 5.4 suicides per 100,000 people (400,000 people work at Foxconn), the Foxconn suicide rate is lower than it is in all 50 U.S. states.

In Wyoming, where the population is 512,757, and there are no sweatshops, 22.6 people per 100,000 commit suicide, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

entropi

I'll never buy an Apple product, I just dont like them...

Then again after reading this story, I'm typing my reply on an Acer laptop:pac:

evolutionqy7

imagine what they would charge for products if they paid them a quid an hour

Master of Nothing wrote: »

I'll never buy an Apple product, I just dont like them...

Then again after reading this story, I'm typing my reply on an Acer laptop

Acer FTW

maninasia

storm2811 wrote: »

Maybe,but there's not much you can do,nearly everything is "made in china/vietnam/malysia" etc.
And nearly all the working conditions in these places are the same as above.



apple suck anyway!

No usually they are WORSE than above. Foxconn's conditions are better than many if not most.

Mister men

I don't care about someone i don't know in China.

Biggins

bleg wrote: »

No, I won't buy it cause it's crap

Agreed.
Having look at its limitations, specs and what is little capable of, pass...
Add to that, the restricting of user rights to materials that is allowed on it, stuff Apple. They are setting a bad precedent.

Sadly fools and their money will be easily parted once more.
When I see a person with one of these irrelevant toys, I see a sucker.

topper75

"Workers of the world unite!"

**** they already did that didn't they?

AAAAAAAHHH

nyarlothothep wrote: »

Most brands are engaged in this practice. Basically they have their goods produced by subcontractors, a pyramid scheme with the people who do the actual work at the bottom. Essentially the brand can focus on the marketing aspect and get away with investing as little as possible in the production. If workers get unionized or begin getting paid too much the corporations relocate to nations which vainly hope that they will get some of the benefits of a trickle down economy by having a multinational on their shores. Its a downright disgrace and unjustifiable. The abuses which go on these factories include from working until you die of exhaustion or disease, sexual harrasment and the miniscule pay level, which under normal circumstances contravene the labour laws of the host country. Once again it just highlights how far "humans" have to evolve. Its part of the whole system of the collusion of corporate and state elite control which needs to be reformed. But you can start by simply boycotting these brands and spreading the information about what they get up to. Its part of a long process of shifting public perception en masse such that the political culture doesn't allow such practices to continue. Kind of like the way in which having slaves is no longer permissable.

Why do you have humans in inverted commas?

biko

I just can't fathom a factory that employ 300.000 people.

The Mad Hatter

Biggins wrote: »

When I see a person with one of these irrelevant toys, I see a sucker.

I'll quote you on this when you announce that you've just bought the Android equivalent.

piby

Mister men wrote: »

I don't care about someone i don't know in China.

At least you're honest even if I don't agree with you.

cornbb

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/foremski/media-gets-its-facts-wrong-working-at-foxconn-significantly-cuts-suicide-risk/1356

Well if you overlook the sensationalism, it looks like the average Chinese worker is actually less likely to kill themselves if they work for Foxconn. But why let that get in the way of some good ole hype and outrage.

Also, let's overlook the fact that Foxconn make the Wii, the Kindle, the PS3, routers, motherboards and zillions of other things, when we have an opportunity to bash Apple.

Gurgle

starbelgrade wrote: »

Would reports like this affect your decision to buy the product?

This factory (Foxconn) employs 400,000 people, who live and work at the campus. The majority are young men.

How does this stack up to the general worldwide suicide / attempted suicide rate for young men?

Biggins

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

I'll quote you on this when you announce that you've just bought the Android equivalent.

I'll be keeping you waiting.

pickarooney

starbelgrade wrote:

Yesterday a "saddened and upset" Apple promised to investigate whether the plant, which employs 300,000 people who earn around 35 cents an hour.

What does that work out at for a 10-hour shift?

ScumLord

In an attempt to prevent more suicides, the Taiwanese-owned firm has hired 2,000 singers, dancers and gym trainers. It is also putting up netting to thwart future suicides.

LOL... Weeeee, *boing* "oh no, he bounce, kill for more people, that 5 worker gone, oh noo..

Gurgle

pickarooney wrote: »

What does that work out at for a 10-hour shift?

They live in China ffs, they're not paying a mortgage in Lucan off their 35c per hour.