Totally agree. The Nightline special made me think that conditions in China are much better than I was lead to believe by all the media reports.
And kind of hard to imagine young children slipping on those face masks and climbing up on those high stools under bright lights to screw on iPad covers without being obvious?
Tomorrow Tim Cook needs to tell these union activists to STFU and take it up with the Chinese government. This issue has wasted far too much of Apple's time. Apple doesn't run China.
And to Mike Daisy... Quit being a weenie and take it up with the government in Beijing. I'm sure they'll be very sympathetic to your whining. LOL.
After tomorrow's annual meeting Apple should again go silent on these issues publicly other than their audit reports that they make public as one of the effects of Tim Cook talking openly about this is that these morons are just grabbing more headlines and feel legitimized. As I have mentioned on another article on AI (sorry for repeating) this is all such BS. Here is my previous comment for those that missed it.
As an American living and teaching in China, the ignorance and arrogance of Americans is an embarrassment at best, and pathetic at its worst. I have worked in both an auto plant and steel mill in the US as a front line worker so I know something about harsh work environments - at a Ford engine plant I had to work MANDATORY 7 days a week and had only 2 days off an entire summer only because I called in sick one day and they gave us the 4th of July. I had to STAND ALL DAY at a conveyor line inspecting heavy cast iron parts for that job. At the steel mills I often worked double shifts to make extra money, and worked outdoors ON TOP OF THE OVENS. It was so hot I had to wear thermal underwear even in the summer to keep the heat off. I also had to wear wooden clogs on the bottoms of my work boots to keep from burning the bottoms of my feet. Add to that, wearing a screen in front of my face in case the gasses I worked around burst into flames as the screen would help keep the flames from burning my face although a couple times they snuck under and burned my neck. These idiot Americans complaining about worker conditions in China have no clue what they are talking about and should just shut the fuck up and work at solving our own problems back in the US. The problem is none of these morons have actually ever worked in a factory. Meanwhile, Foxconn workers are not only working in modern well lit and clean factories, but are also saving money for themselves, as well as sending money home to their poor rural families to help support them. They are making a living wage, and an above average factory wage for China. I applaud Apple for what they are accomplishing on this front.
After tomorrow's annual meeting Apple should again go silent on these issues publicly other than their audit reports that they make public as one of the effects of Tim Cook talking openly about this is that these morons are just grabbing more headlines and feel legitimized. As I have mentioned on another article on AI (sorry for repeating) this is all such BS. Here is my previous comment for those that missed it.
That's a good point, and which is why mot companies either remain dead silent or offer curt PR statements to deal with stuff like this. They know that doing the right thing, ie. responding openly and transparently if often akin to shooting themselves in the face- as it enlarges the media attention, validates and empowers the attackers, and makes the media cycle on the issue continue far longer than it would have if they had done nothing in response. It's the paradox of doing the right thing- you more often than not get punished for it, because you're not dealing with fully rational people who are honest in their motivations. Whatever you say and do will lead to more ammo for attack.
Apple's final response at this point should be going on the offensive, and challenging other industry players to follow their lead and start announcing their own audits, transparency, etc and opening up their own suppliers scrutiny. One of two things will happen. Either everyone will remain silent (which will probably be the case, because they're loving out the fact that Apple is being singled out and don't want to bring attention to themselves) or, they WILL make their own announcements, which will take attention away from Apple and erase the misconception in people's mind that this is an Apple issue. At that point, everyone will get bored and move on to the next story of the day.
That's a good point, and which is why mot companies either remain dead silent or offer curt PR statements to deal with stuff like this. They know that doing the right thing, ie. responding openly and transparently if often akin to shooting themselves in the face- as it enlarges the media attention, validates and empowers the attackers, and makes the media cycle on the issue continue far longer than it would have if they had done nothing in response. It's the paradox of doing the right thing- you more often than not get punished for it, because you're not dealing with fully rational people who are honest in their motivations. Whatever you say and do will lead to more ammo for attack.
Apple's final response at this point should be going on the offensive, and challenging other industry players to follow their lead and start announcing their own audits, transparency, etc and opening up their own suppliers scrutiny. One of two things will happen. Either everyone will remain silent (which will probably be the case, because they're loving out the fact that Apple is being singled out and don't want to bring attention to themselves) or, they WILL make their own announcements, which will take attention away from Apple and erase the misconception in people's mind that this is an Apple issue. At that point, everyone will get bored and move on to the next story of the day.
Tim's problem now is that he has been too accommodating to people who probably don't even own Apple stock or products. Tim, I gotta tell you... Apple comes first.
Tomorrow Tim Cook needs to tell these union activists to STFU and take it up with the Chinese government. This issue has wasted far too much of Apple's time. Apple doesn't run China.
And to Mike Daisy... Quit being a weenie and take it up with the government in Beijing. I'm sure they'll be very sympathetic to your whining. LOL.
Tomorrow Tim Cook needs to tell these union activists to STFU and take it up with the Chinese government. This issue has wasted far too much of Apple's time. Apple doesn't run China.
And to Mike Daisy... Quit being a weenie and take it up with the government in Beijing. I'm sure they'll be very sympathetic to your whining. LOL.
Mike Daisey is an opportunist, a hack "journalist", and worst of all regarding this subject, a profiteer. The press never mentions that this a-hole spoke to only a handful of workers (out of 400,000 at this facility) and THAT HE CHARGES $75 - $85 FOR TICKETS TO HIS ONE MAN SHOW!!!! Hey Mike! Why don't you donate all that money to the workers' families back in their rural hometowns so they can quit the highest paying jobs anyone in their family has ever had and return home?
I don't think these people work for Apple. If they read their paycheck they will see the name Foxconn. Oh, right, they don't work for them anymore either. Get a job and leave the politics to the bosses.
Comments
Totally agree. The Nightline special made me think that conditions in China are much better than I was lead to believe by all the media reports.
And kind of hard to imagine young children slipping on those face masks and climbing up on those high stools under bright lights to screw on iPad covers without being obvious?
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.
Same here. It's now up to the will of the Chinese people (factory workers) vs. their government. Guess who will win.
And to Mike Daisy... Quit being a weenie and take it up with the government in Beijing. I'm sure they'll be very sympathetic to your whining. LOL.
As an American living and teaching in China, the ignorance and arrogance of Americans is an embarrassment at best, and pathetic at its worst. I have worked in both an auto plant and steel mill in the US as a front line worker so I know something about harsh work environments - at a Ford engine plant I had to work MANDATORY 7 days a week and had only 2 days off an entire summer only because I called in sick one day and they gave us the 4th of July. I had to STAND ALL DAY at a conveyor line inspecting heavy cast iron parts for that job. At the steel mills I often worked double shifts to make extra money, and worked outdoors ON TOP OF THE OVENS. It was so hot I had to wear thermal underwear even in the summer to keep the heat off. I also had to wear wooden clogs on the bottoms of my work boots to keep from burning the bottoms of my feet. Add to that, wearing a screen in front of my face in case the gasses I worked around burst into flames as the screen would help keep the flames from burning my face although a couple times they snuck under and burned my neck. These idiot Americans complaining about worker conditions in China have no clue what they are talking about and should just shut the fuck up and work at solving our own problems back in the US. The problem is none of these morons have actually ever worked in a factory. Meanwhile, Foxconn workers are not only working in modern well lit and clean factories, but are also saving money for themselves, as well as sending money home to their poor rural families to help support them. They are making a living wage, and an above average factory wage for China. I applaud Apple for what they are accomplishing on this front.
After tomorrow's annual meeting Apple should again go silent on these issues publicly other than their audit reports that they make public as one of the effects of Tim Cook talking openly about this is that these morons are just grabbing more headlines and feel legitimized. As I have mentioned on another article on AI (sorry for repeating) this is all such BS. Here is my previous comment for those that missed it.
That's a good point, and which is why mot companies either remain dead silent or offer curt PR statements to deal with stuff like this. They know that doing the right thing, ie. responding openly and transparently if often akin to shooting themselves in the face- as it enlarges the media attention, validates and empowers the attackers, and makes the media cycle on the issue continue far longer than it would have if they had done nothing in response. It's the paradox of doing the right thing- you more often than not get punished for it, because you're not dealing with fully rational people who are honest in their motivations. Whatever you say and do will lead to more ammo for attack.
Apple's final response at this point should be going on the offensive, and challenging other industry players to follow their lead and start announcing their own audits, transparency, etc and opening up their own suppliers scrutiny. One of two things will happen. Either everyone will remain silent (which will probably be the case, because they're loving out the fact that Apple is being singled out and don't want to bring attention to themselves) or, they WILL make their own announcements, which will take attention away from Apple and erase the misconception in people's mind that this is an Apple issue. At that point, everyone will get bored and move on to the next story of the day.
That's a good point, and which is why mot companies either remain dead silent or offer curt PR statements to deal with stuff like this. They know that doing the right thing, ie. responding openly and transparently if often akin to shooting themselves in the face- as it enlarges the media attention, validates and empowers the attackers, and makes the media cycle on the issue continue far longer than it would have if they had done nothing in response. It's the paradox of doing the right thing- you more often than not get punished for it, because you're not dealing with fully rational people who are honest in their motivations. Whatever you say and do will lead to more ammo for attack.
Apple's final response at this point should be going on the offensive, and challenging other industry players to follow their lead and start announcing their own audits, transparency, etc and opening up their own suppliers scrutiny. One of two things will happen. Either everyone will remain silent (which will probably be the case, because they're loving out the fact that Apple is being singled out and don't want to bring attention to themselves) or, they WILL make their own announcements, which will take attention away from Apple and erase the misconception in people's mind that this is an Apple issue. At that point, everyone will get bored and move on to the next story of the day.
Tim's problem now is that he has been too accommodating to people who probably don't even own Apple stock or products. Tim, I gotta tell you... Apple comes first.
Tomorrow Tim Cook needs to tell these union activists to STFU and take it up with the Chinese government. This issue has wasted far too much of Apple's time. Apple doesn't run China.
And to Mike Daisy... Quit being a weenie and take it up with the government in Beijing. I'm sure they'll be very sympathetic to your whining. LOL.
Exactly
+1
Tomorrow Tim Cook needs to tell these union activists to STFU and take it up with the Chinese government. This issue has wasted far too much of Apple's time. Apple doesn't run China.
And to Mike Daisy... Quit being a weenie and take it up with the government in Beijing. I'm sure they'll be very sympathetic to your whining. LOL.
Mike Daisey is an opportunist, a hack "journalist", and worst of all regarding this subject, a profiteer. The press never mentions that this a-hole spoke to only a handful of workers (out of 400,000 at this facility) and THAT HE CHARGES $75 - $85 FOR TICKETS TO HIS ONE MAN SHOW!!!! Hey Mike! Why don't you donate all that money to the workers' families back in their rural hometowns so they can quit the highest paying jobs anyone in their family has ever had and return home?