Former factory workers urge public to sign Apple labor petition
Apple's trouble with factory assets in China has quickly become a conflagration, and two former Wintek employees stoked the flames on Wednesday when they offered their support of an online petition that will be delivered to Apple Stores across the nation.
In a translated statement, Guo Rui-Qiang and Jia Jing-Chuan are looking to raise the number of signatures on watchdog SumOfUs' petition to 100,000 by Thursday, which is by no coincidence the date of Apple's annual shareholders meeting, reports CNet.
"We believe it'd by symbolicly (sic) powerful if 100,000 people signed the petition before SumOfUs delivers it to Tim Cook," Guo and Jia wrote.
The pair's unified voice lends further gravity to the petition, as both were among the Wintek employees who experienced health issues after being exposed to n-hexane in 2009.
A fast-drying chemical agent, the now-banned n-hexane was used to clean iPhone screens in place of alcohol to speed up the manufacturing process at Wintek. Previous reports claim that at least 62 workers were hospitalized after being exposed to the toxic substance in 2009.
According to Wintek, those who suffered ailments related to n-hexane were given medical treatment, though the fiasco was the cause of a violent strike which was later settled with bonuses and a ban of the offending chemical.
Wintek was one of the first cases that brought working conditions at Apple's Chinese partner factories to the mainstream media.
SumOfUs looks to deliver 90,000-100,000 names on a Chinese labor rights petition to Apple Stores on Thursday. Source: SumOfUs
"We have been pressuring Apple, and its new CEO Tim Cook, for years to compensate those of us who were injured working for them, and demanding reform of working conditions at their Chinese factories so that their workers don't suffer like we do," Guo and Jia said. "Now we need your help as customers or potential customers of Apple."
Earlier in February, SumOfUs delivered petitions from Change.org to select Apple Stores in order to raise awareness of the working conditions in the Chinese factories Apple uses to build its products.
SumOfUs and Change.org said that a recent supplier audit was initiated in response to their efforts, however those claims came well after a January report that noted Tim Cook had announced plans to partner with the Fair Labor Association to conduct the check.
The world's most valuable tech company has been under extreme scrutiny as of late over its use of Chinese labor, and Wednesday's announcement follows an investigation of a Foxconn factory from ABC's Nightline which showed that iPhone's are basically made by hand.
Apple has vowed to keep suppliers in check, and has released through its website monthly supplier reports, the company's code of conduct and a list of suppliers and manufacturers.
SumOfUs intends to deliver the petition in printed form on to numerous Apple Stores on Thursday in a "distributed" effort that involves "hundreds" of the organization's members.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
“Apple’s problem”... you mean, every electronics maker? The problem Apple’s doing more to solve than anyone?
"Every electronics maker"… you mean 'every single company that does business in China and much of the rest of southeast Asia'? The problem that… well, you get it.
(Mr. H, I would like to know your position on this.)
I'd sign a petition to improve workers' conditions in China as long as the petition didn't apply to Apple in any way whatsoever.
That's bold.
I can see the need for a company like Apple to step up their game in proving conditions (as it could lead to increased profits) but I can't see why Apple is responsible as a customer to compensate those injured. How is Apple at fault here?
(Mr. H, I would like to know your position on this.)
Same reason Google is singled out for the safari and ie situations I suppose
Same reason Google is singled out for the safari and ie situations I suppose
That makes absolutely no sense.
Your beef is with your employer, not with Apple. I'll sign no such petition.
Speaking of beef. Lets say I'm at McDonald's. I order a Big Mac. While my sandwich is being made the McDonald's employee slips and fails. They then sue me because it was my sandwich they were making when they fell. Is that pretty much what this petition is suggesting?
I can see the need for a company like Apple to step up their game in proving conditions (as it could lead to increased profits) but I can't see why Apple is responsible as a customer to compensate those injured. How is Apple at fault here?
(Mr. H, I would like to know your position on this.)
My feeling is that it depends upon how involved Apple was in the setup of the production line. If they trusted Wintek to not expose workers to toxic chemicals that might have been naive but not a mistake that would warrant Apple having to pay damages. However, if Apple gave express permission or were otherwise closely involved in the decision to use n-hexane I think it becomes a different matter.
My feeling is that it depends upon how involved Apple was in the setup of the production line. If they trusted Wintek to not expose workers to toxic chemicals that might have been naive but not a mistake that would warrant Apple having to pay damages. However, if Apple gave express permission or were otherwise closely involved in the decision to use n-hexane I think it becomes a different matter.
I can see that but I wonder why the business would allow the customer to dictate such terms. Surely it does happen but I think that is far from being the most likely scenario.
Bullshit click-bait. Mikey Campbell, you should be ashamed of yourself. Get real job because a journalist you ain't.
Petition China to improve working conditions of ALL factory workers. Why is it Apple's responsibility? This is a government-level issue.
They instead work for the contractor.
I didn't hire the gunman! My assistant did it for me!