Foxconn denies strike at iPhone 5 factory, says handset production on schedule
Foxconn officials on Saturday issued a statement denying a strike hit the company's Zhengzhou iPhone plant on Friday, claiming instead that the factory was the site of two small altercations days earlier which had no impact on production.
Apple CEO Tim Cook touring an iPhone production line at a Foxconn plant in Zhengzhou, China.
Source: MIC Gadget
In a statement emailed to Reuters, Foxconn was quick to deny widely reported claims of a worker strike and subsequent stoppage of multiple iPhone 5 assembly lines on Friday.
"Any reports that there has been an employee strike are inaccurate," Foxconn said, adding that "there has been no workplace stoppage in that facility or any other Foxconn facility and production has continued on schedule."
The Taiwan-based company admitted there were two "brief and small" disputes earlier this month, however the quarrels were "immediately addressed and measures taken, including providing additional staff for the lines in question."
According to a Friday report from China Labor Watch, 3,000 to 4,000 workers on quality control lines at Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory, which Apple CEO Tim Cook happened to visit in January, went on strike, allegedly stopping production for an unknown period of time. Supposedly at issue were overly stringent demands from company managers and Apple regarding nicks and scratches on iPhone 5 units leaving the factory, with the new requirements putting undue pressure on already agitated employees.
Foxconn also denied allegations of vacation cuts, and said laborers who chose to work over China's National Day holiday were paid three times their normal wages, in line with the country's laws.
Interestingly, the electronic manufacturer's statements are contrary to a report from China's Xinhua news agency, which noted a government spokesman for the Zhengzhou industrial zone said about 100 Foxconn inspectors refused to go back to work after one was reputedly beaten by disgruntled workers.
"The instruction to strengthen quality inspections for the iPhone 5 was given by Apple Inc. following multiple complaints from customers regarding aesthetic flaws in the phone," said the unnamed spokesman.
Despite reports of brand new iPhone 5s being "scuffed" out of the box, Apple has been slammed with orders for its newest handset.
Due to the secrecy and low level of media access to Foxconn's factories, it is difficult to determine the veracity of each party's claims, though in either case it appears that the factory lines are up and running.
Apple CEO Tim Cook touring an iPhone production line at a Foxconn plant in Zhengzhou, China.
Source: MIC Gadget
In a statement emailed to Reuters, Foxconn was quick to deny widely reported claims of a worker strike and subsequent stoppage of multiple iPhone 5 assembly lines on Friday.
"Any reports that there has been an employee strike are inaccurate," Foxconn said, adding that "there has been no workplace stoppage in that facility or any other Foxconn facility and production has continued on schedule."
The Taiwan-based company admitted there were two "brief and small" disputes earlier this month, however the quarrels were "immediately addressed and measures taken, including providing additional staff for the lines in question."
According to a Friday report from China Labor Watch, 3,000 to 4,000 workers on quality control lines at Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory, which Apple CEO Tim Cook happened to visit in January, went on strike, allegedly stopping production for an unknown period of time. Supposedly at issue were overly stringent demands from company managers and Apple regarding nicks and scratches on iPhone 5 units leaving the factory, with the new requirements putting undue pressure on already agitated employees.
Foxconn also denied allegations of vacation cuts, and said laborers who chose to work over China's National Day holiday were paid three times their normal wages, in line with the country's laws.
Interestingly, the electronic manufacturer's statements are contrary to a report from China's Xinhua news agency, which noted a government spokesman for the Zhengzhou industrial zone said about 100 Foxconn inspectors refused to go back to work after one was reputedly beaten by disgruntled workers.
"The instruction to strengthen quality inspections for the iPhone 5 was given by Apple Inc. following multiple complaints from customers regarding aesthetic flaws in the phone," said the unnamed spokesman.
Despite reports of brand new iPhone 5s being "scuffed" out of the box, Apple has been slammed with orders for its newest handset.
Due to the secrecy and low level of media access to Foxconn's factories, it is difficult to determine the veracity of each party's claims, though in either case it appears that the factory lines are up and running.
Comments
An Apple a day keeps the truth away....
These Foxconn worker stories are getting a little old.
EDIT:
Alright, correction. They're *not* getting old - really, because they connect with iPhone production, which then may connect with availability, etc.
I'm sure it's harder to work at foxconn, making parts for an iPhone, than it is working a similar manufacturing job in North America (if any of those factories still exist). And to further add insult to injury they get so little for the effort that a similar employee here would get. I think humanity is a lost cause when people can so easily exploit other human beings for a dollar bill. That being said, it's not just apple that does it's manufacturing in Asia. Almost every tech company has a contract with Foxconn or similar manufacturers to produce parts.
So why is it that so many news stories come out about Foxconn, and not just that, but it's always associated with Apple. I know that Foxconn workers also make parts for the xbox 360 and playstation 3 yet we never hear of those workers being disgruntled.
I'm a fan of apple products, not to the point that I'd jump in front of a bullet to save an iPhone, but I would easily criticize the company if need be. But this has gotten way out of hand lately. It's gotten sickening, the jealousy, the hatred, the deliberate attempts at sabotage from media, and just everyday average people on forums.
I frequent sites like cnet and engagdet and even that has gotten hard to do because you read a story about Apple and the comments are from android users claiming ios and iphone are so far behind eventhough they don't own one and know what makes it great. Next you read a story about dish dropping blockbuster rental service and the comments are about ios and iphone are so far behind and Galaxy sIII is the greatest because you can change the keyboard and put a clock widget on the screen, and how apple will sue.
Sometimes I don't understand how Apple just sits there and doesn't try to address these things through advertising or any other means just because it frustrates me to no end. I know they read and hear the same things we do. Then again I understand there is no need to do so and am glad I'm not making the decisions because I'd go after every one of those people individually and make them eat their words. haha.
Although I do have a life and Apple will be just fine no matter how hard people try to bring them down, that rant felt good.
Oh and just one little side note. The iPhone has dings and scratches. Sure that isn't cool when paying a premium for a product, but I'd take a ding and a scratch over a bent samsung galaxy sIII because it was in a pocket of someone I know who sat down for such a brief second that he prevented himself from getting his whole weight down on it as he rose up when realizing it. I'm pretty sure an iPhone wouldn't bend or even get a scratch or ding in that situation.
I do realize that I just did what I ranted about in the previous post but it had to be done as I'm sure there will be a android fan at some point commenting on dings and scratches. Only difference about me and them though is that I say go buy the phone you like because that's what I'd want you to do. I have no apple stock and I don't get a boner when an iPhone sells. I guess that's another thing iPhones don't do that android phones have doing for years. How proud I'd be if my first boner was caused by an android when I was a pimply faced 14 year old.
I worked a public holiday last Monday and only get double pay, a lot of employers here want to get rid of penalty rates all together, which is fully supported by the media and certain political parties.
Triple time died out around thirty years ago, those Chinese have got it pretty good.
Remember that the cost of living in China is like 1/5th of here especially for these workers who can choose to live on site for very cheap if they wish.
Page hits. Make no mistake about that. Not even Forbes, NYT etc are really about journalism anymore. They are all the same hit whores as AI, macrumors etc.
I suspected from the start that this was a fake story and still do. I suspect if there was any kind of fight it was probably not in an Apple building and was probably over something like some guy looking at another guy's girl and it was just the two of them and the 2-3 guys pulling them apart. Thats all.
Easy. They don't do it because Haters will hate and say that Apple is just giving off PR spin and it's all lies. It's happened before with things like the iPhone 4. So now they choose not to feed the trolls by giving the shit attention. This is Foxconn business anyway. If they want to make a statement it's their job to do so. All Apple would be able to say is that there has been no change in QC on their part because they already demanded max quality from production etc. and I'm sure that is true. Every one of those phones was likely perfect when it was put on the truck at Foxconn and was mishandled after that. Well let's say 95% of the arrived 'damaged' ones were perfect. A few might have slipped through that were damaged say in the software install area. Slipped out of the hand or such. But I would say the majority of the scuffs could just have easily been FedEx mishandling as an issue at the factory. And Apple knows this
They would NEVER do that. After all that's what their fandroid brothers are for
I remember reading that the level of automation is dependent on the cost of capital/automation versus the cost of labor. With wages at <$200/mo in China there may be less of an incentive for Foxcon to automate. Hopefully it will change.
It happens in the factory.
Originally Posted by Rogifan
So they automate and put these people out of work. Then what?
Then Apple gets months of bad press for making millions of Chinese starve and for forcing them to go work in sweatshops instead.
What's that? They say they're sweatshops now? Funny how that works.
Holy cow! Three times normal pay?
And certain not so bright people and outright liars have the nerve to claim that these workers don't have it good? And even dumber people attempt to somehow blame Apple for the alleged working conditions?
If you think that the workers have it bad, then make a stand, be a man, don't be a little pussy. Show that you mean business and don't buy any more Apple products. Apple doesn't need your business, and Apple users don't need to read your lies either. If you are a fat liar like Mike Daisy, then go join a forum for liars and spread your anti-Apple propaganda and lies over there. You and your lies are unwanted here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flaneur
charlituna, I wasn't the only one in the other thread that called you on this FedEx stuff. How is the phone going to get scratched when it's inside the most insanely protective box ever designed?!!!
It happens in the factory.
That box is not that great in my opinion. Although it was not as difficult to un-box as that crazy Nexus video, the cover is rather snug. Once the cover is finally freed, there is nothing holding the phone in place. It is sitting extremely loose at the very brim of the box. When I opened my box, the iPhone went sliding right out onto the kitchen countertop which was extremely alarming although fortunately it remained unscratched. I agree about it not getting scratched inside the box, but that box doesn't win any awards in my opinion either.
Here's the main problem, people using Apple products expect perfections, and so any scratch will make a very unhappy customer. Android phones will not get the same problem because those customers are in general more tolerate of those kinds of things.
IMO Apple needs to really rethink this current material used on iPhone 5, don't use it on future products. It's not for the Foxconn employees, but for the sake of keeping customers happy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jivanile
I'm sure it's harder to work at foxconn, making parts for an iPhone, than it is working a similar manufacturing job in North America (if any of those factories still exist). And to further add insult to injury they get so little for the effort that a similar employee here would get. I think humanity is a lost cause when people can so easily exploit other human beings for a dollar bill. ...
It's hard to take you seriously when you begin with a statement like this, although I mostly agree with the rest of what you say.
The idea that the Foxconn employees "get so little" is completely false. In fact it's the reverse. Relative to their own economy (the only measure that's rational), they make more than a worker in North America does in a similar situation. It's just completely meaningless to compare their wages in China to the buying power they would theoretically have in the North American economy.
Yes, someone making those kind of wages, but forced to live in North America would be "poor." Yes, someone making North American style wages and living in China would be "rich." So what? Someone with an iPhone living in the Middle Ages would also be a great wizard, but none of the above really means anything at all. More importantly, it doesn't mean that the workers are being "treated badly" or get "low wages" or any similar such statements.
CNN says other wise.
http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/05/technology/mobile/foxconn-iphone-5-strike/index.html?hpt=hp_t2