1,000 workers strike at Apple keyboard supplier over long hours
Workers at a factory in southern China that supplies parts to Apple went on strike this week with complaints of grueling overtime requirements.
Owned by Taiwan's Jingyuan Computer group, the 3,000-worker plant provides Apple and IBM with components, including keyboards. A labor rights group reported that roughly 1,000 workers blocked a local highway during the protest, as noted by the Associated Foreign Press on Thursday.
The employees' grievances included complaints of nightly overtime demands, common workplace injuries, layoffs of older workers, lack of benefits and verbal abuse by managers, according to U.S.-based China Labor Watch. They halted the strike after company officials agreed to reduce overtime at the plant.
In a statement regarding the issue, the rights group called on Apple to "take responsibility, as there are more than 300 workers working on the Apple keyboard assembly line."
According to the report, several other Chinese manufacturing facilities have also seen worker incidents in recent weeks. Earlier this week, 400 workers at a bra factory also in Shenzhen protested after a manager told one to "jump off a roof and go to hell." Last week, 7,000 workers at a factory supplying shoes to New Balance, Adidas and Nike protested layoffs and wage cuts.
Apple has faced increasing scrutiny over its relationship with suppliers in China. The company recently met with representatives from five Chinese environmental groups over pollution concerns regarding its suppliers.
Since Apple tends to keep a tight lid on its list of partners, watchdog groups must do their own research to track them down. Among 27 alleged Apple suppliers that environmental groups had identified as excessive polluters, Apple told groups that only 15 of them were actual suppliers for the company. Apple has asked 11 of the 15 to reform and has promised to communicate with the other four.
The Cupertino, Calif., Mac maker conducts regular audits of its suppliers to monitor their working conditions and environmental impact. Last year,the company conducted 97 first-time audits and 30 repeat audits of its partners. Apple's 2011 supplier report found a number of instances of underage workers, as well as one case of bribery.
Owned by Taiwan's Jingyuan Computer group, the 3,000-worker plant provides Apple and IBM with components, including keyboards. A labor rights group reported that roughly 1,000 workers blocked a local highway during the protest, as noted by the Associated Foreign Press on Thursday.
The employees' grievances included complaints of nightly overtime demands, common workplace injuries, layoffs of older workers, lack of benefits and verbal abuse by managers, according to U.S.-based China Labor Watch. They halted the strike after company officials agreed to reduce overtime at the plant.
In a statement regarding the issue, the rights group called on Apple to "take responsibility, as there are more than 300 workers working on the Apple keyboard assembly line."
According to the report, several other Chinese manufacturing facilities have also seen worker incidents in recent weeks. Earlier this week, 400 workers at a bra factory also in Shenzhen protested after a manager told one to "jump off a roof and go to hell." Last week, 7,000 workers at a factory supplying shoes to New Balance, Adidas and Nike protested layoffs and wage cuts.
Apple has faced increasing scrutiny over its relationship with suppliers in China. The company recently met with representatives from five Chinese environmental groups over pollution concerns regarding its suppliers.
Since Apple tends to keep a tight lid on its list of partners, watchdog groups must do their own research to track them down. Among 27 alleged Apple suppliers that environmental groups had identified as excessive polluters, Apple told groups that only 15 of them were actual suppliers for the company. Apple has asked 11 of the 15 to reform and has promised to communicate with the other four.
The Cupertino, Calif., Mac maker conducts regular audits of its suppliers to monitor their working conditions and environmental impact. Last year,the company conducted 97 first-time audits and 30 repeat audits of its partners. Apple's 2011 supplier report found a number of instances of underage workers, as well as one case of bribery.
Comments
However Apple should consider moving some of those jobs back to the U.S. where many Americans are out of jobs.
Someone explain to me why it is Apple's responsibility to oversee another country's work environment. Apple hired them to produce a product in return for payment thats it. Its not their responsibility to "babysit" a work ethic in another country. If they can't get the job done, get another company in China to do it. Let the Chinese fix worker problems in China.
*sighs*
And speaking of keyboards, I'll probably order a new wireless keyboard from Apple on Friday, since I could use another one and those things are never on sale anywhere afaik. I might get another magic trackpad too, because you can never have too many of those, especially if you have more than one machine.
As for the bra-strike, I prefer females without bras, as long as they are attractive, so I'm not overly concerned about any bra strike. Women should go topless more often if you ask me. I also thought that what the manager told the worker was pretty funny.
Those jobs are there for a reason, cheap labor. Bringing it to the states wouldn't make sense from a business perspective. No company is out to do a public service. They're all in the business to make money.
For the ones who complain, why don't they start such a company and bring the jobs here instead of expecting someone else to do it. Then see how it fares with stock holders and earnings calls.
Americans take these things for granted. Even here in the states, for every person who is unhappy with their job, there are plenty who are late in bills or unemployed and would love to have it.
For every person with a job in China, there's at least a hundred without. They'll just fire them and hire new workers, then they'll be sorry they participated in the strike. Harsh, but that's the reality over there.
Those jobs are there for a reason, cheap labor. Bringing it to the states wouldn't make sense from a business perspective. No company is out to do a public service. They're all in the business to make money.
For the ones who complain, why don't they start such a company and bring the jobs here instead of expecting someone else to do it. Then see how it fares with stock holders and earnings calls.
Americans take these things for granted. Even here in the states, for every person who is unhappy with their job, there are plenty who are late in bills or unemployed and would love to have it.
Hitting quarterly targets is great but at the end of the day there has to be someone to buy the product. And you need a job to buy the product. When all the manufacturing jobs are gone there's going to be a lot of people in the first world without a job.
I don't have the answers but to my mind companies should be part of a broader social contract in the regions te operate in.
Someone explain to me why it is Apple's responsibility to oversee another country's work environment. Apple hired them to produce a product in return for payment thats it. Its not their responsibility to "babysit" a work ethic in another country. If they can't get the job done, get another company in China to do it. Let the Chinese fix worker problems in China.
Because if you hire dirt bags that treat people like shit you're part of the problem.
I haven't been too critical of apple on this issue but I do hope they take the lead. There's lots of companies that use the same factories there but apple probably has more pull. Probably more to lose/more to gain in the public eye too.
...snip...
Shallow and offensive. Congratulations. You must be proud.
Because if you hire dirt bags that treat people like shit you're part of the problem.
I haven't been too critical of apple on this issue but I do hope they take the lead. There's lots of companies that use the same factories there but apple probably has more pull. Probably more to lose/more to gain in the public eye too.
Meh, happens here as well...I happen to work in a environment were workers are treated like shit. Low wages and no benefits, but yet it's still slowy bein outsourced.
If your curious who I work for? Due to a non disclosure agreement all I can say is it rhymes with foogle and they are known as a global search conglomerate .
Meh, happens here as well...I happen to work in a environment were workers are treated like shit. Low wages and no benefits, but yet it's still slowy bein outsourced.
If your curious who I work for? Due to a non disclosure agreement all I can say is it rhymes with foogle and they are known as a global search conglomerate .
I don't think this foogle company should treat you poorly either. Although I suspect you're a tad bit better off than a Chinese factory worker.
I also remember the time Apple had factories in US, Mexico, and Europe. I remember the prices of Apple computers too! Was not really competitive. I think Apple would not object having factories in the US, if they can make things at competitive prices. That takes giving a lot of benefits when companies want to create factories. Then there's the problem of finding enough people to work there.
Thing also is, all Apple components come from Asia. If Apple had factories in the US, first those components had to be shipped to the US, at huge cost + taxes. Then Apple had to ship from the US to worldwide, again at higher cost + taxes than shipping from China.
It is a difficult world. Yes, I would like to have more Made in USA, made in Europe stuff. If I have the choice, I buy clothing and stuff made in Western countries.
If your curious who I work for? Due to a non disclosure agreement all I can say is it rhymes with foogle and they are known as a global search conglomerate .
Boogle?
Safety First!
However Apple should consider moving some of those jobs back to the U.S. where many Americans are out of jobs.
Jobs will not be moved to the US, but to India or Vietnam instead.
Anything that doesn't help the bottom line is looked down upon.
Lowering profit levels by manufacturing everything in the US? Corporate blasphemy.
Workers at a factory in southern China that supplies parts to Apple went on strike this week with complaints of grueling overtime requirements.
What these guys don't understand is that they are better off working for Apple's supplier than they are doing other jobs, or more likely, being unemployed. They should be grateful that Apple hires them.
Someone explain to me why it is Apple's responsibility to oversee another country's work environment. Apple hired them to produce a product in return for payment thats it. Its not their responsibility to "babysit" a work ethic in another country. If they can't get the job done, get another company in China to do it. Let the Chinese fix worker problems in China.
You are 100% correct sir, thats how outsourcing works.
Without Unions, we would have the same working conditions in the United States of America today. I'm not saying that Unions are perfect. They are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but without them, American workers, what's left of them, would have the same working conditions, if not worse.
There are more important things than money and material things.