Apple supplier accused of labor violations in producing new 'iPhone 5C'
Watchdog organization China Labor Watch has accused Apple supplier Jabil Circuit of committing labor violations at a Chinese factory that is allegedly producing the "iPhone 5C."
Worker prepares iPhone for final assembly. | Source: Apple Supplier Responsibility Report
In a new report published on Thursday, China Labor Watch revealed "a series of ethical and legal labor violations in a factory in Wuxi, China." According to the organization, that factory is owned by Florida-based Jabil Circuit.
China Labor Watch claims that workers at the factory are owed "millions of dollars in unpaid overtime wages." It was also said that employees have over 100 hours of monthly mandatory overtime ? three times the legal limit.
Workers at the factory are also said to see more than 11 hours of standing work every day, with no rest outside of 30-minute meal breaks. Finally, China Labor Watch also accused the factory of inadequate training and hiring discrimination.
"Despite half a decade of outside investigations and self-reporting on myriad labor abuse throughout its Chinese supply chain, Apple has continually failed to compel supplier factories to conform to Apple's code of conduct and local labor laws before giving these suppliers Apple production orders."
Jabil, which is based in St. Petersburg, Fla., has previously been identified as a U.S.-based Apple supplier. Criticism of Apple's China-based supplier factories is not new, but has traditionally been focused on companies like Foxconn and Pegatron, not Jabil.
China Labor Watch has publicly called out Apple before for alleged labor violations. One report from the organization published in July prompted a response from Apple, as the company vowed to investigate the reports.
Worker prepares iPhone for final assembly. | Source: Apple Supplier Responsibility Report
In a new report published on Thursday, China Labor Watch revealed "a series of ethical and legal labor violations in a factory in Wuxi, China." According to the organization, that factory is owned by Florida-based Jabil Circuit.
China Labor Watch claims that workers at the factory are owed "millions of dollars in unpaid overtime wages." It was also said that employees have over 100 hours of monthly mandatory overtime ? three times the legal limit.
Workers at the factory are also said to see more than 11 hours of standing work every day, with no rest outside of 30-minute meal breaks. Finally, China Labor Watch also accused the factory of inadequate training and hiring discrimination.
"Despite half a decade of outside investigations and self-reporting on myriad labor abuse throughout its Chinese supply chain, Apple has continually failed to compel supplier factories to conform to Apple's code of conduct and local labor laws before giving these suppliers Apple production orders."
Jabil, which is based in St. Petersburg, Fla., has previously been identified as a U.S.-based Apple supplier. Criticism of Apple's China-based supplier factories is not new, but has traditionally been focused on companies like Foxconn and Pegatron, not Jabil.
China Labor Watch has publicly called out Apple before for alleged labor violations. One report from the organization published in July prompted a response from Apple, as the company vowed to investigate the reports.
Comments
And, just like the last time, Apple is the only major US company that takes the matter seriously and does anything about it.
So, did they report it to Apple or the press first?
I was expecting %u2026
Or...
Despite all the labor abuse in China, the Chinese government has continually failed to enforce local labor laws.
Put blame where blame is due.
Is that a gold iPhone I see?
No that looks like a yellow 5C, you can tell by the raised metal inside the frame that is reflected by the light in the area and by looking at 5C leaked internal frame images. The "Gold" iPhone is really more of a champagne silver.
And, just like the last time, Apple is the only major US company that takes the matter seriously and does anything about it.
That's right. Since it's not possible to watch all your suppliers 24/7, the measure of an ethical company can't be whether these things happen or not. The measure has to be: what they do about it when it's discovered.
And I'll bet my social security check that factories that manufacture for Chinese brands don't get this kind of scrutiny.
For an un-announced phone that has yet to be delivered or maybe even produced, Apple is in VIOLATION of labor laws in a country that IT does not build in (chinese company not american). And these so called violations would be in violation of Apples contract requirements.
So maybe next we need to have people start complaining about what people might think about something not yet said in reference to an event not yet happening... ???????
Just a weird thought.
No that looks like a yellow 5C, you can tell by the raised metal inside the frame that is reflected by the light in the area and by looking at 5C leaked internal frame images. The "Gold" iPhone is really more of a champagne silver.
It's neither. It's a picture lifted from here. You think Apple would post pictures of unreleased products on that page?
A press release just in time for the September 10 annoucement.
What timely investigators they have.
They should have waited until the 9th.
Considering they get to work on Apple products who cares about working conditions ?! If they want a cushy job then go work for a copy-cat outfit making android junk.
From the 2012 annual report:
Donations
We are grateful for the support of almost 60 individual donators in 2012, most hailing from
Europe and North America. Their donations have allowed us to investigate more factories and
assist more workers in defending their rights.
Board of Directors
Dorothy J. Solinger, professor of political science at the University of California at Irvine
William J. Hurst, assistant professor of Asian studies at the University of Texas at Austin
Tom Deluca, Founder and CEO of CCI Consulting
New York Staff
Li Qiang, Founder and Executive Director
Kevin Slaten, Program Coordinator
Volunteers and Interns
Bessie Zhang
Justin McDonnell
Greg Fay
Momo Ren
Fengyin Lin
Yanlin Cai
Leo Liu
Yuan Fan
Xiaoou Huang
Yuting Zhu
Adam Supraner
Chuchu Song
So it looks like most of the staff is volunteers and interns, except Mr Li Quiang who lives the good life in NYC, USA.
How can a handful of volunteers and interns review all the factories in China?
I am all for improved working conditions for Chinese workers, but I suspect this China Labor Watch is really a sham organization for Mr Li Quiang to blackmail companies into making donations. Like the Rainbow Coalition.
The annual report is interesting:
http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/pdf/2012Annualreportv2.pdf
Note, for example, that Apple's suppliers are accused of up to 180 hours of forced overtime while Samsung's suppliers AND PLANTS OWNED AND OPERATED BY SAMSUNG had up to 220 hours of forced overtime.
Yet, it's Apple who gets the bad press while there are no press releases about Samsung.
ETA:
Oops. I stand corrected. There have been a number of reports about Samsung. For example:
http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/news/new-448.html
Or, my favorite:
http://blog.laptopmag.com/china-labor-watch-samsung-allegedly-copies-apples-labor-abuses-too
It's not China Labor Watch who is ignoring Samsung, it's just the mainstream media who only cares when it's Apple.
That is certainly true, but don't hold your breath for it to be fixed.
The rules limiting overtime were set up in China to create jobs. They don't care about human rights, it's all about getting as many people working as possible. By limiting overtime, the number of workers is increased.
However, that is no longer necessary. Skilled labor is actually largely at full employment in China (although there are still a lot of unskilled people without jobs). So if China were to enforce the overtime rules, they would reduce plant output - which is the driver for their economy. It's easier to simply ignore the rules than to change them.
Watchdog organization China Labor Watch has accused Apple supplier Jabil Circuit of committing labor violations at a Chinese factory that is allegedly producing the "iPhone 5C."
Worker prepares iPhone for final assembly. | Source: Apple Supplier Responsibility Report
In a new report published on Thursday, China Labor Watch revealed "a series of ethical and legal labor violations in a factory in Wuxi, China." According to the organization, that factory is owned by Florida-based Jabil Circuit.
China Labor Watch claims that workers at the factory are owed "millions of dollars in unpaid overtime wages." It was also said that employees have over 100 hours of monthly mandatory overtime ? three times the legal limit.
Workers at the factory are also said to see more than 11 hours of standing work every day, with no rest outside of 30-minute meal breaks. Finally, China Labor Watch also accused the factory of inadequate training and hiring discrimination.
"Despite half a decade of outside investigations and self-reporting on myriad labor abuse throughout its Chinese supply chain, Apple has continually failed to compel supplier factories to conform to Apple's code of conduct and local labor laws before giving these suppliers Apple production orders."
Jabil, which is based in St. Petersburg, Fla., has previously been identified as a U.S.-based Apple supplier. Criticism of Apple's China-based supplier factories is not new, but has traditionally been focused on companies like Foxconn and Pegatron, not Jabil.
China Labor Watch has publicly called out Apple before for alleged labor violations. One report from the organization published in July prompted a response from Apple, as the company vowed to investigate the reports.
Now AI is lifting pictures from Apple's own website to use as illustration in articles when some other company reports an unproven allegation about a labor violation. This is a new low for AI . Also how or why should APPLE compel a company to conform to Apple's standards when making products for a different company?