Samsung says it will review 250 suppliers for labor violations
Samsung has said it will investigate 250 Chinese manufacturing partners after a third-party audit found the use of child labor.
The U.S.-based operation China Labor Watch found seven children younger than 16 wroking in a factory that makes DVD players for Samsung. The company responded on Monday and said it will inspect 250 Chinese companies that make its products, but its own investigation found no under-aged workers at the HEG Electronics facility in question, according to Reuters.
Samsung's audit did, however, find inadequate management and potentially unsafe practices, including improper safety measures and overtime beyond what local regulations allow.
In a statement, Samsung said it has "demanded that HEG immediately improve its working conditions." If the partner fails to meet Samsung's "zero-tolerance policy on child labor, the contract will be immediately severed."
Attention has not traditionally been paid to Samsung's overseas manufacturing partners. However, Apple, which is now the largest company in the world by market capitalization, has routinely come under fire for its reliance on overseas assembly, particularly at manufacturer Foxconn.
For years, Apple has conducted its own supplier audits and put out an annual report detailing their findings. But earlier this year, facing growing criticism, Apple also allowed a third-party organization, the Fair Labor Association, to conduct its own audits. Apple is the first technology company to partner with the FLA.
The U.S.-based operation China Labor Watch found seven children younger than 16 wroking in a factory that makes DVD players for Samsung. The company responded on Monday and said it will inspect 250 Chinese companies that make its products, but its own investigation found no under-aged workers at the HEG Electronics facility in question, according to Reuters.
Samsung's audit did, however, find inadequate management and potentially unsafe practices, including improper safety measures and overtime beyond what local regulations allow.
In a statement, Samsung said it has "demanded that HEG immediately improve its working conditions." If the partner fails to meet Samsung's "zero-tolerance policy on child labor, the contract will be immediately severed."
Attention has not traditionally been paid to Samsung's overseas manufacturing partners. However, Apple, which is now the largest company in the world by market capitalization, has routinely come under fire for its reliance on overseas assembly, particularly at manufacturer Foxconn.
For years, Apple has conducted its own supplier audits and put out an annual report detailing their findings. But earlier this year, facing growing criticism, Apple also allowed a third-party organization, the Fair Labor Association, to conduct its own audits. Apple is the first technology company to partner with the FLA.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Samsung said it has "demanded that HEG immediately improve its working conditions."
Well, now that Apple's done it . . . and taken the heat *for everyone else*.
Lord only knows how long this has been going on with Samsung's partners, and has gone on with little to no media attention.
When Mike Daisey heard of this, he immediately yawned and said, "Nope. Don't care. It's not connected to Apple, so they get a free pass."
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
But earlier this year, facing growing criticism, Apple also allowed a third-party organization, the Fair Labor Association, to conduct its own audits. Apple is the first technology company to partner with the FLA.
I’m not sure that’s quite how it happened:
Apple announced the FLA partnership in January along with their annual supplier responsibility report. It seems more likely to be a planned part of this report and of the next year’s phase of improvements, than to be in response to “growing criticism.” In fact, as I recall, although Mike Daisey had been on the fictional warpath for some time, and got his lies on This American Life shortly before the annual report, I don’t recall any big wave of Apple criticism at the end of last year or the first days of January this year. It seems like that had died down by then, and then resurged AFTER Apple partnered with the FLA. (Apple’s own positive actions actually helping to get the matter back on people’s radar. With plenty of help from Mike Daisey’s interviews!)
And any “growing criticism” should be termed “spreading lies,” since nothing new had emerged about Apple’s situation. This American Life later returned to the story with an apology, and it turns out that all of the problems found to be true are the ones Apple themselves had already reported on.
I’m pretty certain nobody has dug up a single thing beyond what Apple self-reported, despite their efforts to do so. (Including going to China: Mike Daisey wasn’t the only one to look for fresh dirt in person, just the only one to invent it when it couldn’t be found.)
So “growing criticism” means “continued honesty from Apple plus lies from Mike Daisey” (both of which were spun Apple being evil) and that’s about it.
Dear Samsung,
No-one really cares.
You wanna know why?
In spite of all your attempts at mimicry...
...you aren't Apple.
P.S. keep sending us cheques so we can make a pretence you are.
Signed
The World's journalists.
P.P.S What are conditions like in your Vietnamese factories?
Ah, awaiting the outrage from our resident tro... fandroids.
Chirp, chirp, chirp......
Where are all of the dumb shits that have been slamming Apple and spreading falsehoods and outright lies about the labor conditions and the pay at Apple's suppliers?
Do these dumb shits think that their Asian made electronics is made by people making $50 an hour? Do these dumb shits believe that no underaged workers went into making their cheap ass phone?
These dumb shits probably look for underaged prostitutes while using their Android phones, and then later, they'll pretend to be completely outraged at the alleged conditions in a gossip story, as long as the word "Apple" is somewhere to be found in the title.
Where are the obese people and liars putting on one man shows about Samsung?
HEY!!!
SAMSUNG!!!!
Now's the time to copy Apple...
I thought Samsung made everything themselves, well not really but that's the impression created by their advocates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doctor David
@Apple][ - With as much as you like Apple, you sure do give users a bad name. Nearly every post is a hate filled rant. Everyone gets upset occasionally, but hate and arrogance seem so common in your posts. You should show more confidence in your ability to have a rational discussion.
Ain't it GREAAT!!!!
In this case, instead of saying, "Hey, it seems like this is a fundamental issue across all manner of manufacture that could, and should, be addressed," you get the typical tribalistic babble on these forums. It's absolutely disgraceful.
I'm glad that people who DO possess principles are putting pressure on yet another corporation that would undoubtedly ignore these issues if it didn't pose a threat to their profits.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doctor David
@Apple][ - With as much as you like Apple, you sure do give users a bad name. Nearly every post is a hate filled rant. Everyone gets upset occasionally, but hate and arrogance seem so common in your posts. You should show more confidence in your ability to have a rational discussion.
I don't give a crap about giving Apple users a bad name, I speak only for myself, and I tell it like I see it.
You would be gravely mistaken if you believe that I am the least bit interested in having a rational discussion with any Fandroid or Apple hater. I come here to converse with Apple users, anybody else is irrelevant to me, and I wouldn't even give them the time of day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doctor David
@Apple][ - With as much as you like Apple, you sure do give users a bad name. Nearly every post is a hate filled rant. Everyone gets upset occasionally, but hate and arrogance seem so common in your posts. You should show more confidence in your ability to have a rational discussion.
So tell us, Doctor David, how does one have a rational discussion over the fact that every other company that manufactures in China gets a pass from the media and only Apple gets pages and pages of outraged editorials? And how does one have a rational discussion about bringing jobs back to the U.S. when it's only Apple that is required to do this?
Oh, and I just checked the headlines over at C|net. Not a peep about this report. Not one jot, not one tittle. Is that rational?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
I don't give a crap about giving Apple users a bad name, I speak only for myself, and I tell it like I see it.
You would be gravely mistaken if you believe that I am the least bit interested in having a rational discussion with any Fandroid or Apple hater. I come here to converse with Apple users, anybody else is irrelevant to me, and I wouldn't even give them the time of day.
Amen!
I feel the same way, I come to this site to talk about apple products with like minded enthusiasts, when fandroids come in and piss on the things I enjoy they deserve no attempt at a rational discussion and should be flamed into oblivion.
On a different note, does anyone remember any point when Foxconn used child labor? I don't recall it ever happening but im sure that will be overlooked and people will still sympathize with samsung, if for no other reason than blatant ignorance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beauty of Bath
"Samsung says it will review 250 suppliers for labor violations"
I thought Samsung made everything themselves, well not really but that's the impression created by their advocates.
Surprise, Samsung isn't honest! shocker!
Quote:
Originally Posted by boredumb
HEY!!!
SAMSUNG!!!!
Now's the time to copy Apple...
Yeah, but they have to review 250 suppliers.
I'd be willing to bet that no one really goes into these Samsung stores after about a month after they open. Meanwhile, most of Apple stores are packed with people and when the iPhone 5 hits, you'll see the lines forming.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeanSolecki
Child labor (and labor abuses generally) would strike anyone with principles as being an unfortunate reality that should be addressed, by whatever means possible. It's unfortunate that rabid Apple psychopaths try to turn it into a conspiracy theory every time those abuses come to light. (Perhaps somewhere, to a lesser degree, Samsung fans are floating the same tired rhetoric that you see all too often on these forums in defense of human rights abuses.)
In this case, instead of saying, "Hey, it seems like this is a fundamental issue across all manner of manufacture that could, and should, be addressed," you get the typical tribalistic babble on these forums. It's absolutely disgraceful.
I'm glad that people who DO possess principles are putting pressure on yet another corporation that would undoubtedly ignore these issues if it didn't pose a threat to their profits.
So are you saying Samsung (and others) only started doing this AFTER the attempted vilification of Apple in the press over it?
The "pressure" should have been applied months or years ago, when Apple was singled out.
Where were you then, were you one of the sociopaths ignoring other company's abuses?
At the time when a lot of the "Apple psychopaths", as you call them were stating it was an industry wide problem, where were you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
I don't give a crap about giving Apple users a bad name, I speak only for myself, and I tell it like I see it.
You would be gravely mistaken if you believe that I am the least bit interested in having a rational discussion with any Fandroid or Apple hater. I come here to converse with Apple users, anybody else is irrelevant to me, and I wouldn't even give them the time of day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by xRCx
Amen!
I feel the same way, I come to this site to talk about apple products with like minded enthusiasts, when fandroids come in and piss on the things I enjoy they deserve no attempt at a rational discussion and should be flamed into oblivion.
On a different note, does anyone remember any point when Foxconn used child labor? I don't recall it ever happening but im sure that will be overlooked and people will still sympathize with samsung, if for no other reason than blatant ignorance.
And I lay the blame on the management of this site for letting these bottom feeders continue to post their venom. They do not have any right to do so on a private forum but AI allows it anyway. It's the Fandroids and iHaters that give their camp a bad name. They are so insecure about their choices that they feel compelled to take a dump in places like AI. You see virtually NO Apple enthusiasts joining Android or Windows centric forums for the express purpose of denigrating that universe. I wouldn't join one of those forums for any reason. I don't need to.
I was here, making the same argument that I am now.
It IS an industry wide issue, but trying to use that as an "out" for any company that catches heat for it is like saying we shouldn't throw ANY murderer in jail unless we throw EVERY murderer in jail. In a perfect world, sure, all the murderers would be caught, and all the corporations would answer for human rights abuses, but until then I'd say catching the ones you can catch is a better policy than giving everyone a pass so that things are "fair."
You guys seem to forget that ALL Apple news is run through an amplifier. No one notices an Android phone launch day, and no one notices a Samsung human rights scandal, but the news certainly makes a fuss about a new iphone, and they similarly make a fuss about conditions where iphones are made. It's not a difference of balance, but a difference of magnitude.
This ridiculous "Apple users are under attack" line that you learned from Fox News is TRAGIC, but not because it's true.
Still awaiting the New York Times coverage on this.
Chirp, chirp, chirp......