It happened here in the U.S. at the turn of the 19th century where industry and government colluded with each other and government failed to protect the lives, rights and well being of its people.
That is what happened here: A company took advantage of the fact it was operating in an environment where it had impunity from government oversight -- so workers had little choice but to either accept the worker abuse or to take things into their own hands -- just like American workers did in the violent strikes and riots through the 20 years before and after 1900.
Slightly different working conditions. People falling in to cauldrons of molten steel, forever becoming part of whatever building that steel went in to. Working beside 3300ºF blast furnaces for 12+ hours a day. Let’s be honest, no where near the same conditions here.
What triggered the bloody Homestead Strike was the same thing that triggered this Indian revolt: Pay. Carnegie told Frick to increase profits -- so he cut worker wages and increased hours. And the government backed the corporation. That's pretty much what triggered this revolt in India: They screwed them on pay. And the Indian government looked the other way.
So yeh - it's pretty much the same conditions there as we had in the U.S. with our Robber Barons. Eventually, Roosevelt stepped in to protect workers. India has yet to reach that point -- if they ever will.
The article said the vast majority of the workers were from external contract agencies (“8,500 were contracted “ out of about 10,500). I wonder if Wistron was trying to cheat or if the contract agencies were the ones up to shenanigans.
It's a common tactic where both are to blame:
The contract agency pays as little as possible while the company demands as much work as possible. Everybody wins -- except the workers.
It's one reason why China limits contract workers.
Wistron is a big company. Stop treating them like they're a tinpot sweatshop that couldn't be expected to do better and Apple is the only hope for labour rights. Wistron are responsible for this.
That's true: Wistron (and the Indian government who let this happen) is responsible here.
But Apple is responsible for who they contract with and where they do business.
Apple needs to be held accountable here. It’s bad enough that they are using slave labor in China, that will not be tolerated in a freer country like India. Beyond that the wages highlight just how low Apple will go to enhance margins. Exploitation is exactly that no matter how much you try to distance yourself. I really don’t think Cook grasps how bad his behavior is in this regard.
Slave labor is used according to American living standard. In many countries it is not slave labor. You are ignorant of Apple business. Foxconn, Wistron, Pegatron are not owned by Apple. They are contracting companies. They also build products for many other companies. Can you elaborate what Apple did to them to enhance margins?
I'm not sure what you are after here. Apple does indeed use slave labor in China, this isn't about standards of living but rather the Chinese government interning people in labor camps for political purposes. The net result if forced labor.
As for my supposed ignorance, I suggest you look in the mirror. Apple has had long term relationships with these companies even after years and years of reported misbehavior. Apple only reason to do business with them is to get their work done in largely unregulated areas of the world. Even if there are "regulations" China is so corrupt that it really doesn't matter if there are labor laws.
You must be a bit out of touch with respect to what Apple does to its suppliers. The history there is pretty public so you don't need to take my word for it. In a nut shell they simply make demands that the contractors have to make to keep the business.
Look at it another way, back in the day when Apple closed down manufacturing in the USA and eventually moved most of it to China, they didn't change the prices on anything one bit. In fact they continued to raise prices. This has lead to the highest margins in the industry. It is pretty hard to believe that you are so out of touch that you don't realize just how high Apples margins are on its products. That was all about Apples move to China to get products manufactured at a far lower costs. Not one penny of that savings was passed on to consumers in lower prices.
By the way Apple isn't the only company guilty here, almost every business that moved to China just increased their profits on stuff sold in the USA. Prices never came down. Basically a good part of America got screwed over by US based companies enjoying the slave labor afforded them by the CCP.
True -- if you believe the spin of the China hating propagandists. But the chief China hating propagandist just got his butt fired.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
George, I find myself mildly entertained by your condemnation of the Indian government, while at the same time you ardently defend the Chinese government. It has a charming schizophrenic quality to it.
Apple says no new business for supplier Wistron after India plant violence
Apple Inc on Saturday said it had placed contract manufacturer Wistron
on probation and would not give the Taiwanese firm new business until it
took corrective actions following lapses at its southern India plant.
Wistron
failed to implement proper working hour management processes, which “led
to payment delays for some workers in October and November,” Apple
said.
Apple will continue to monitor Wistron’s progress on corrective action, the Cupertino-California based company said.
“Our main objective is to make sure all the workers are treated with dignity and respect, and fully compensated promptly.”
Also from Reuters:
Wistron
introduced 12-hour shifts from the earlier eight-hour shifts at the
plant in October but failed to properly address “the confusion in the
minds of the workers” about their new wages inclusive of overtime, the
report noted.
Wistron,
which also changed its attendance system in October, did not fix for
two months a glitch which caused employees’ presence to be incorrectly
registered, the probe found.
Some
other violations highlighted in the report included underpayment of
wages to contract workers and housekeeping staff, and making women staff
work overtime without legal authorisation.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
India forced Apple, an American company with no ties to India, to sell their phones there? Huh. That's definitely out of order.
You need to pay better attention to news.
India told them: if you don't manufacture here you don't sell here. Had that been China heads would be exploding. But, it was India.
So yeh, the only reason Apple was there was because of India's extortion.
So Apple had a choice: Sell in India or don't sell in India. India didn't force Apple to sell in India as your first post claimed. India forced Apple to manufacture in India if it wanted to sell there too. Just the same as the US government "extorts" money from foreign companies who want to sell in the US by way of taxes. No different. Apple made the decision that it was worth spending the money on manufacturing in India to attempt to get a foothold there.
It happened here in the U.S. at the turn of the 19th century where industry and government colluded with each other and government failed to protect the lives, rights and well being of its people.
That is what happened here: A company took advantage of the fact it was operating in an environment where it had impunity from government oversight -- so workers had little choice but to either accept the worker abuse or to take things into their own hands -- just like American workers did in the violent strikes and riots through the 20 years before and after 1900.
I’m not convinced there is strong evidence of collusion here. Maybe coming third world corruption at some level but it is pretty obvious here that the government has investigated here and apparently agrees with the workers. It just looks like Apple and Wistron thought that they could get away with the same crap that is normal in China.
India is well known for corruption.
This would not have happened in China -- it's a much cleaner place to do business in. That's why businesses migrated there instead of India.
The only reason Apple went to India at all was due to their extortion: "If you don't manufacture here, you don't sell here".
So Apple gave them a token plant -- which they abused -- as they so often happens in that corrupt country.
It wouldn't have happened in China because protests are illegal and enforcement is you get shot or run over with a tank. Have you conveniently managed to erase Tiananmen Square from your memory? Or does your Chinese employer not allow you to mention such embarrassing events?
Well well it would seem that both China and India are both ranked 80 out of 180 on the corruption index. Isn't that odd - how do you explain your way out of that one George?
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
India forced Apple, an American company with no ties to India, to sell their phones there? Huh. That's definitely out of order.
You need to pay better attention to news.
India told them: if you don't manufacture here you don't sell here. Had that been China heads would be exploding. But, it was India.
So yeh, the only reason Apple was there was because of India's extortion.
So Apple had a choice: Sell in India or don't sell in India. India didn't force Apple to sell in India as your first post claimed. India forced Apple to manufacture in India if it wanted to sell there too. Just the same as the US government "extorts" money from foreign companies who want to sell in the US by way of taxes. No different. Apple made the decision that it was worth spending the money on manufacturing in India to attempt to get a foothold there.
Yeh, they did force Apple -- which is otherwise known as extortion.
But then India needed to resort to such low life tactics: Nobody in their right mind would invest in that country without being extorted.
It happened here in the U.S. at the turn of the 19th century where industry and government colluded with each other and government failed to protect the lives, rights and well being of its people.
That is what happened here: A company took advantage of the fact it was operating in an environment where it had impunity from government oversight -- so workers had little choice but to either accept the worker abuse or to take things into their own hands -- just like American workers did in the violent strikes and riots through the 20 years before and after 1900.
I’m not convinced there is strong evidence of collusion here. Maybe coming third world corruption at some level but it is pretty obvious here that the government has investigated here and apparently agrees with the workers. It just looks like Apple and Wistron thought that they could get away with the same crap that is normal in China.
India is well known for corruption.
This would not have happened in China -- it's a much cleaner place to do business in. That's why businesses migrated there instead of India.
The only reason Apple went to India at all was due to their extortion: "If you don't manufacture here, you don't sell here".
So Apple gave them a token plant -- which they abused -- as they so often happens in that corrupt country.
It wouldn't have happened in China because protests are illegal and enforcement is you get shot or run over with a tank. Have you conveniently managed to erase Tiananmen Square from your memory? Or does your Chinese employer not allow you to mention such embarrassing events?
Well well it would seem that both China and India are both ranked 80 out of 180 on the corruption index. Isn't that odd - how do you explain your way out of that one George?
Everyone that isn't you knows China is very corrupt. The CCP's policies almost require corruption for it to operate.
Yeh, but only if you believe the silly right wing spin and propaganda.
By the way, did you conveniently erase Kent State and the murdered black civil rights protestors from your memory? Or is it selective for anti-China hatred?
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
India forced Apple, an American company with no ties to India, to sell their phones there? Huh. That's definitely out of order.
You need to pay better attention to news.
India told them: if you don't manufacture here you don't sell here. Had that been China heads would be exploding. But, it was India.
So yeh, the only reason Apple was there was because of India's extortion.
So Apple had a choice: Sell in India or don't sell in India. India didn't force Apple to sell in India as your first post claimed. India forced Apple to manufacture in India if it wanted to sell there too. Just the same as the US government "extorts" money from foreign companies who want to sell in the US by way of taxes. No different. Apple made the decision that it was worth spending the money on manufacturing in India to attempt to get a foothold there.
Yeh, they did force Apple -- which is otherwise known as extortion.
But then India needed to resort to such low life tactics: Nobody in their right mind would invest in that country without being extorted.
I would add that US government especially the current administration extorted Apple to move plants out of China. And US government especially the current administration were constantly urged by China haters for doing so. This maybe the beginning of Cold War 2.0. This is the plan.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
India forced Apple, an American company with no ties to India, to sell their phones there? Huh. That's definitely out of order.
You need to pay better attention to news.
India told them: if you don't manufacture here you don't sell here. Had that been China heads would be exploding. But, it was India.
So yeh, the only reason Apple was there was because of India's extortion.
So Apple had a choice: Sell in India or don't sell in India. India didn't force Apple to sell in India as your first post claimed. India forced Apple to manufacture in India if it wanted to sell there too. Just the same as the US government "extorts" money from foreign companies who want to sell in the US by way of taxes. No different. Apple made the decision that it was worth spending the money on manufacturing in India to attempt to get a foothold there.
Yeh, they did force Apple -- which is otherwise known as extortion.
But then India needed to resort to such low life tactics: Nobody in their right mind would invest in that country without being extorted.
I would add that US government especially the current administration extorted Apple to move plants out of China. And US government especially the current administration were constantly urged by China haters for doing so. This maybe the beginning of Cold War 2.0. This is the plan.
That WAS the plan.
We fired the instigator.
But irrational hate & fear always die slow deaths.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
India forced Apple, an American company with no ties to India, to sell their phones there? Huh. That's definitely out of order.
You need to pay better attention to news.
India told them: if you don't manufacture here you don't sell here. Had that been China heads would be exploding. But, it was India.
So yeh, the only reason Apple was there was because of India's extortion.
So Apple had a choice: Sell in India or don't sell in India. India didn't force Apple to sell in India as your first post claimed. India forced Apple to manufacture in India if it wanted to sell there too. Just the same as the US government "extorts" money from foreign companies who want to sell in the US by way of taxes. No different. Apple made the decision that it was worth spending the money on manufacturing in India to attempt to get a foothold there.
Yeh, they did force Apple -- which is otherwise known as extortion.
But then India needed to resort to such low life tactics: Nobody in their right mind would invest in that country without being extorted.
No, no, no and no.
Setting conditions for foreign companies to sell in your markets is not extortion, not by any common understanding of the word. It is a protectionist trade policy for sure, but it is not extortion, nor is it even that uncommon. Apple were not forced to do anything. India is not even a big market for them, so they could easily forego it (or relatively easily compared to the EU markets, which other idiots on this forum suggest Apple withdraw from). The USA has had not dissimilar trade policies in the past, as have just about every country in the world that cares about its domestic economy. Your insistence on labelling this as extortion is both literally wrong, and totally wrongheaded and backward.
Your insistence on trying to make India look bad while defending China at every opportunity is extremely suspect Georgie. I suggest you re-examine your biases.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
India forced Apple, an American company with no ties to India, to sell their phones there? Huh. That's definitely out of order.
You need to pay better attention to news.
India told them: if you don't manufacture here you don't sell here. Had that been China heads would be exploding. But, it was India.
So yeh, the only reason Apple was there was because of India's extortion.
So Apple had a choice: Sell in India or don't sell in India. India didn't force Apple to sell in India as your first post claimed. India forced Apple to manufacture in India if it wanted to sell there too. Just the same as the US government "extorts" money from foreign companies who want to sell in the US by way of taxes. No different. Apple made the decision that it was worth spending the money on manufacturing in India to attempt to get a foothold there.
Yeh, they did force Apple -- which is otherwise known as extortion.
But then India needed to resort to such low life tactics: Nobody in their right mind would invest in that country without being extorted.
No, no, no and no.
Setting conditions for foreign companies to sell in your markets is not extortion, not by any common understanding of the word. It is a protectionist trade policy for sure, but it is not extortion, nor is it even that uncommon. Apple were not forced to do anything. India is not even a big market for them, so they could easily forego it (or relatively easily compared to the EU markets, which other idiots on this forum suggest Apple withdraw from). The USA has had not dissimilar trade policies in the past, as have just about every country in the world that cares about its domestic economy. Your insistence on labelling this as extortion is both literally wrong, and totally wrongheaded and backward.
Your insistence on trying to make India look bad while defending China at every opportunity is extremely suspect Georgie. I suggest you re-examine your biases.
The sole reason he defends China is overwhelming anti-China sentiment here in US. India has escaped any negative news by US media for a long time. Look at the current US administraion especially the words from Pompeio.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
India forced Apple, an American company with no ties to India, to sell their phones there? Huh. That's definitely out of order.
You need to pay better attention to news.
India told them: if you don't manufacture here you don't sell here. Had that been China heads would be exploding. But, it was India.
So yeh, the only reason Apple was there was because of India's extortion.
So Apple had a choice: Sell in India or don't sell in India. India didn't force Apple to sell in India as your first post claimed. India forced Apple to manufacture in India if it wanted to sell there too. Just the same as the US government "extorts" money from foreign companies who want to sell in the US by way of taxes. No different. Apple made the decision that it was worth spending the money on manufacturing in India to attempt to get a foothold there.
Yeh, they did force Apple -- which is otherwise known as extortion.
But then India needed to resort to such low life tactics: Nobody in their right mind would invest in that country without being extorted.
No, no, no and no.
Setting conditions for foreign companies to sell in your markets is not extortion, not by any common understanding of the word. It is a protectionist trade policy for sure, but it is not extortion, nor is it even that uncommon. Apple were not forced to do anything. India is not even a big market for them, so they could easily forego it (or relatively easily compared to the EU markets, which other idiots on this forum suggest Apple withdraw from). The USA has had not dissimilar trade policies in the past, as have just about every country in the world that cares about its domestic economy. Your insistence on labelling this as extortion is both literally wrong, and totally wrongheaded and backward.
Your insistence on trying to make India look bad while defending China at every opportunity is extremely suspect Georgie. I suggest you re-examine your biases.
Extortion: The practice of obtaining benefit through coercion.
India coerced Apple into manufacturing in that corrupt, unstable nation. That makes it extortion. Because you hate China and love the nationalistic fascist running India doesn't make it anything other than extortion.
I'll stick to fact based reality. You are free to hate communists and love fascists if you like. But I think that is silly.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
Well, you are definitely NOT accurate on this claim. I am from India and I am not a fan of the current PM or his party. But to claim that this administration "extorted" Apple is ridiculous on multiple levels.
No 1 - india is NOT a major market for Apple. Not even a minor one, with <1% of Apple's revenue coming from India. There is just NO "bargain power" for the Indian government to "force" Apple to do anything that they want.
No 2 - Indian government NEVER said that Apple has to manufacture locally to be able to sell iPhones/other products. All they have said/are saying is - there will be "import taxes" applied on the products manufactured elsewhere and sold in India. Import taxes would NOT apply for the products "assembled" (not even manufactured) locally.
And Apple assessed the conditions and found them to be favorable for them to assemble their products in India and went ahead with it. At no point in time, they were "forced" on unfavorable terms and extortion is a nonsensical claim to make in this context.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
Well, you are definitely NOT accurate on this claim. I am from India and I am not a fan of the current PM or his party. But to claim that this administration "extorted" Apple is ridiculous on multiple levels.
No 1 - india is NOT a major market for Apple. Not even a minor one, with <1% of Apple's revenue coming from India. There is just NO "bargain power" for the Indian government to "force" Apple to do anything that they want.
No 2 - Indian government NEVER said that Apple has to manufacture locally to be able to sell iPhones/other products. All they have said/are saying is - there will be "import taxes" applied on the products manufactured elsewhere and sold in India. Import taxes would NOT apply for the products "assembled" (not even manufactured) locally.
And Apple assessed the conditions and found them to be favorable for them to assemble their products in India and went ahead with it. At no point in time, they were "forced" on unfavorable terms and extortion is a nonsensical claim to make in this context.
Funny that you would criticize me for saying something I never said: Specifically, I never claimed Modi did it. I said India. It was India who extorted Apple prior to Modi gaining power by forcing them to manufacture there if they wanted to sell there. They started several years back with the iPhone 6 which they could manufacture and then sell very cheaply there.
You are correct that India is not yet a major market for Apple. But Apple recognizes that India is a potential major market (albeit hampered by poverty) that they wanted to grow. So, they bit the bullet and committed to opening that market by doing some limited manufacturing there. Obviously that is not working out so well for them as they got caught up in the chronic and pervasive corruption in that country.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
Well, you are definitely NOT accurate on this claim. I am from India and I am not a fan of the current PM or his party. But to claim that this administration "extorted" Apple is ridiculous on multiple levels.
No 1 - india is NOT a major market for Apple. Not even a minor one, with <1% of Apple's revenue coming from India. There is just NO "bargain power" for the Indian government to "force" Apple to do anything that they want.
No 2 - Indian government NEVER said that Apple has to manufacture locally to be able to sell iPhones/other products. All they have said/are saying is - there will be "import taxes" applied on the products manufactured elsewhere and sold in India. Import taxes would NOT apply for the products "assembled" (not even manufactured) locally.
And Apple assessed the conditions and found them to be favorable for them to assemble their products in India and went ahead with it. At no point in time, they were "forced" on unfavorable terms and extortion is a nonsensical claim to make in this context.
Funny that you would criticize me for saying something I never said: Specifically, I never claimed Modi did it. I said India. It was India who extorted Apple prior to Modi gaining power by forcing them to manufacture there if they wanted to sell there. They started several years back with the iPhone 6 which they could manufacture and then sell very cheaply there.
You are correct that India is not yet a major market for Apple. But Apple recognizes that India is a potential major market (albeit hampered by poverty) that they wanted to grow. So, they bit the bullet and committed to opening that market by doing some limited manufacturing there. Obviously that is not working out so well for them as they got caught up in the chronic and pervasive corruption in that country.
OK, you didn't claim Modi did it. Can you please let me know under which PM and year in which India "force" Apple to manufacture locally?
Since looking up for information is not your strong suit, I will save you the trouble and provide the details.
1. Modi has been in power since 2014. He got reelected in 2019. 2. Apple has started assembling iPhones in India from 2017 through their contract manufacturers. 3. The previous government led by Manmohan Singh is considered to be the weakest ever in the history of India since independence. Surely, you cannot accuse that government of extorting Apple? Do you? 4.Despite having a near broken judicial system, Indian government CANNOT tell ANY company that they are not allowed to sell their products in India unless the product is manufactured locally. And they NEVER said so. Do you know why? Because India is NOT China (your favourite country). 5. All that the Indian government has told Apple is - you can save taxes and price the products competitively IF you manufacture locally. And these are the tax breaks that you can get IF you choose to manufacture locally. And Apple weighed the Pros and cons of manufacturing in India and took a business decision to proceed with same. At no point in time did "extortion" come in to the picture.
While I understand that Wistron is responsible here, Apple does not look good with what appears to be a lack of oversight, especially of a newer operation.
Unless Wistron was cooking numbers that Apple reviewed. But I would think the would have a large team of inspectors to independently and directly verify compliance with their contract standards.
Apple didn't go into India because they wanted to. They went there (with one of their suppliers) due to extortion by the Indian government. They likely knew that their hands were tied and their options limited.
Well, you are definitely NOT accurate on this claim. I am from India and I am not a fan of the current PM or his party. But to claim that this administration "extorted" Apple is ridiculous on multiple levels.
No 1 - india is NOT a major market for Apple. Not even a minor one, with <1% of Apple's revenue coming from India. There is just NO "bargain power" for the Indian government to "force" Apple to do anything that they want.
No 2 - Indian government NEVER said that Apple has to manufacture locally to be able to sell iPhones/other products. All they have said/are saying is - there will be "import taxes" applied on the products manufactured elsewhere and sold in India. Import taxes would NOT apply for the products "assembled" (not even manufactured) locally.
And Apple assessed the conditions and found them to be favorable for them to assemble their products in India and went ahead with it. At no point in time, they were "forced" on unfavorable terms and extortion is a nonsensical claim to make in this context.
Funny that you would criticize me for saying something I never said: Specifically, I never claimed Modi did it. I said India. It was India who extorted Apple prior to Modi gaining power by forcing them to manufacture there if they wanted to sell there. They started several years back with the iPhone 6 which they could manufacture and then sell very cheaply there.
You are correct that India is not yet a major market for Apple. But Apple recognizes that India is a potential major market (albeit hampered by poverty) that they wanted to grow. So, they bit the bullet and committed to opening that market by doing some limited manufacturing there. Obviously that is not working out so well for them as they got caught up in the chronic and pervasive corruption in that country.
OK, you didn't claim Modi did it. Can you please let me know under which PM and year in which India "force" Apple to manufacture locally?
Since looking up for information is not your strong suit, I will save you the trouble and provide the details.
1. Modi has been in power since 2014. He got reelected in 2019. 2. Apple has started assembling iPhones in India from 2017 through their contract manufacturers. 3. The previous government led by Manmohan Singh is considered to be the weakest ever in the history of India since independence. Surely, you cannot accuse that government of extorting Apple? Do you? 4.Despite having a near broken judicial system, Indian government CANNOT tell ANY company that they are not allowed to sell their products in India unless the product is manufactured locally. And they NEVER said so. Do you know why? Because India is NOT China (your favourite country). 5. All that the Indian government has told Apple is - you can save taxes and price the products competitively IF you manufacture locally. And these are the tax breaks that you can get IF you choose to manufacture locally. And Apple weighed the Pros and cons of manufacturing in India and took a business decision to proceed with same. At no point in time did "extortion" come in to the picture.
Oh! So it WAS Modi? You just proved yourself wrong! That's hilarious!
Comments
It's a common tactic where both are to blame:
True -- if you believe the spin of the China hating propagandists. But the chief China hating propagandist just got his butt fired.
It's called reality. You should try it.
Apple says no new business for supplier Wistron after India plant violence
Wistron failed to implement proper working hour management processes, which “led to payment delays for some workers in October and November,” Apple said.
Apple will continue to monitor Wistron’s progress on corrective action, the Cupertino-California based company said.
Wistron introduced 12-hour shifts from the earlier eight-hour shifts at the plant in October but failed to properly address “the confusion in the minds of the workers” about their new wages inclusive of overtime, the report noted.
Wistron, which also changed its attendance system in October, did not fix for two months a glitch which caused employees’ presence to be incorrectly registered, the probe found.
Some other violations highlighted in the report included underpayment of wages to contract workers and housekeeping staff, and making women staff work overtime without legal authorisation.
It wouldn't have happened in China because protests are illegal and enforcement is you get shot or run over with a tank. Have you conveniently managed to erase Tiananmen Square from your memory? Or does your Chinese employer not allow you to mention such embarrassing events?
Well well it would seem that both China and India are both ranked 80 out of 180 on the corruption index. Isn't that odd - how do you explain your way out of that one George?
https://tradingeconomics.com/china/corruption-rank
https://tradingeconomics.com/india/corruption-rank
Everyone that isn't you knows China is very corrupt. The CCP's policies almost require corruption for it to operate.
Setting conditions for foreign companies to sell in your markets is not extortion, not by any common understanding of the word. It is a protectionist trade policy for sure, but it is not extortion, nor is it even that uncommon. Apple were not forced to do anything. India is not even a big market for them, so they could easily forego it (or relatively easily compared to the EU markets, which other idiots on this forum suggest Apple withdraw from). The USA has had not dissimilar trade policies in the past, as have just about every country in the world that cares about its domestic economy. Your insistence on labelling this as extortion is both literally wrong, and totally wrongheaded and backward.
Your insistence on trying to make India look bad while defending China at every opportunity is extremely suspect Georgie. I suggest you re-examine your biases.
No 1 - india is NOT a major market for Apple. Not even a minor one, with <1% of Apple's revenue coming from India. There is just NO "bargain power" for the Indian government to "force" Apple to do anything that they want.
No 2 - Indian government NEVER said that Apple has to manufacture locally to be able to sell iPhones/other products. All they have said/are saying is - there will be "import taxes" applied on the products manufactured elsewhere and sold in India. Import taxes would NOT apply for the products "assembled" (not even manufactured) locally.
And Apple assessed the conditions and found them to be favorable for them to assemble their products in India and went ahead with it. At no point in time, they were "forced" on unfavorable terms and extortion is a nonsensical claim to make in this context.
Since looking up for information is not your strong suit, I will save you the trouble and provide the details.
1. Modi has been in power since 2014. He got reelected in 2019.
2. Apple has started assembling iPhones in India from 2017 through their contract manufacturers.
3. The previous government led by Manmohan Singh is considered to be the weakest ever in the history of India since independence. Surely, you cannot accuse that government of extorting Apple? Do you?
4.Despite having a near broken judicial system, Indian government CANNOT tell ANY company that they are not allowed to sell their products in India unless the product is manufactured locally. And they NEVER said so. Do you know why? Because India is NOT China (your favourite country).
5. All that the Indian government has told Apple is - you can save taxes and price the products competitively IF you manufacture locally. And these are the tax breaks that you can get IF you choose to manufacture locally. And Apple weighed the Pros and cons of manufacturing in India and took a business decision to proceed with same. At no point in time did "extortion" come in to the picture.
Oh! So it WAS Modi? You just proved yourself wrong! That's hilarious!