I'm sure no parents, all over the world, want their kids to work. The fact that these were means they must be from a very poor family who had no other choice. So I hope the loss of Apple's business doesn't cause the place to close, and therefore these families to fall on even harder times.
So Apple is damned if they do and damned if they don't. Typical. That's why no company should give a damn about political correctness or the cause du jour. Here's my headline...
"Apple kicks small firm to the curb. Employees decend into abject poverty. Tim Cook refuses comment."
Maybe, but it's not a behavior that has to be encouraged. There has to be a point where it's forbidden. A generation may suffer from it, then society adapts.
It is not necessary to forbid it because no parent wants their kids to work anyway. If these poor kids are allowed to work then they can afford to send their kids to school and the cycle of poverty is broken. Banning is counterproductive.
I'm sure no parents, all over the world, want their kids to work. The fact that these were means they must be from a very poor family who had no other choice. So I hope the loss of Apple's business doesn't cause the place to close, and therefore these families to fall on even harder times.
On the positive side, some other company, most likely another Chinese company employing people who don't have a lot of other options, will have to take up the slack and presumably hire some people who are not underage.
I'm sure no parents, all over the world, want their kids to work.
Originally Posted by ascii
…no parent wants their kids to work anyway.
That's crazy. Of course some parents want their children to work. It's laughable to suggest otherwise.
The distinction you're trying to make is that the parents who DO want their children to have jobs are the ones who don't need their children to have jobs. They're well enough off on their own; the job is just a character-, responsibility-, and personal finance-building exercise for the child rather than something that will keep the family as a whole alive.
Underage workers don't really concern me. If some poor family wants to let their 14 year old son or daughter work at a decent job and make money, then who am I to deny them that? Is it better if their 14 year old daughter starts turning tricks instead? What matters is production and profit and Apple taking the appropriate steps to make their stock more valuable again. Apple's suppliers should be hiring more workers, to make sure that there are no more unnecessary delays and slowdowns in production.
I absolutely agree and I don't understand why others are criticizing you. In fact, I think Apple should have its suppliers lower wages around the world and stop providing ridiculous benefits like dorm rooms that sleep 12, because who cares if a 14 year-old son or daughter has less to eat or sleeps in the street and it's unacceptable that Apple's margins have dropped 2%. It's warm in a lot of those places anyway and they're used to terrible living conditions, so this won't be any worse. They should be thankful that they get to work on these great products, since they'll never be able to afford them anyway. The only thing that's important is the Apple stock price because if we can't earn 400% a year on Apple stock, than Apple must be running the company in an unethical and incompetent manner.
And there are only two choices: having 14 year-old kids work in an Apple factory or becoming prostitutes. There are absolutely no other options. It's a binary decision.
I used to work at a movie theatre in an air-conditioned shopping mall 15 hours a week for minimum wage, so this is exactly the same thing. Except that they get paid a lot less. And that they don't see their parents anymore. And that they work 60 hours a week standing in the same position on a factory line and that they're not permitted to talk. And that the chance of them ever going back to school is next to nil.
But as long as every person in the world can buy the next model of the iPhone on the first day it's released and not have to wait, that's all fine because we know what's really important here. In fact, a war with China might be really great because as we win it we can take all the people we capture, including more kids, and push them into forced labor factories, which would substantially lower Apple's costs and improve margins, thereby restoring the stock price. I don't know why other posters don't understand what's truly important.
I absolutely agree and I don't understand why others are criticizing you. In fact, I think Apple should have its suppliers lower wages around the world and stop providing ridiculous benefits like dorm rooms that sleep 12, because who cares if a 14 year-old son or daughter has less to eat or sleeps in the street and it's unacceptable that Apple's margins have dropped 2%. It's warm in a lot of those places anyway and they're used to terrible living conditions, so this won't be any worse. They should be thankful that they get to work on these great products, since they'll never be able to afford them anyway. The only thing that's important is the Apple stock price because if we can't earn 400% a year on Apple stock, than Apple must be running the company in an unethical and incompetent manner.
That's one picture you've painted, here's another. A young teen goes to a climate controlled environment (static and dust are harmful to electronics), sits on a cushioned stool, and puts pieces of a motherboard together. He makes enough money that his family can now have two meals a day. Previously, he would work all day on the farm in the searing heat, and his family could only afford one meal a day.
He is proud of what he is able to do for his family, and vows to work his way up the ladder so that by the time he has his own kids, he will be earning enough to send them to school so they won't have to work like he did.
I just don't think that when one thinks of work, one should immediately think of slavery as you seem to. There is such a thing as work that's not slavery.
Whilst I don't defend child labour at all there is a massive shortage of workers in SE China which may explain this situation.
Typically goes like this. Worker goes East to find work. Gets it. Earns enough to buy a house/banks enough to live a happy life in home town. Gets end of year bonus. Goes home. Does not return.
You guys have it all wrong. See the story is about making Apple a feel good kind of company so elitist westerners will love their Apple gadgets all the more. The world is safe in Apple's hands.
That's one picture you've painted, here's another. A young teen goes to a climate controlled environment (static and dust are harmful to electronics), sits on a cushioned stool, and puts pieces of a motherboard together. He makes enough money that his family can now have two meals a day. Previously, he would work all day on the farm in the searing heat, and his family could only afford one meal a day.
He is proud of what he is able to do for his family, and vows to work his way up the ladder so that by the time he has his own kids, he will be earning enough to send them to school so they won't have to work like he did.
I just don't think that when one thinks of work, one should immediately think of slavery as you seem to. There is such a thing as work that's not slavery.
To be honest, I'm not really too interested in any heartwarming Apple stories, and I don't see Apple financially gaining anything from this particular story.
And there are only two choices: having 14 year-old kids work in an Apple factory or becoming prostitutes. There are absolutely no other options. It's a binary decision.
I don't know exactly what the local conditions are in those parts of the world, but I'm guessing that they don't have that many different choices to choose between, and landing a job assembling products at a supplier seems like a decent choice.
I don't agree with calling it slavery. They may be caught in a corrupt or poor system but they are not forced to work without pay.
I don't agree with the end justifiying the means. I feel that it's wrong for children to work all day in leui of getting an education and would like to see every nation on this planet enforce laws that prevent such acts that limit the mental growth and awareness and create opportunities for the betterment of all mankind.
Of course, that's either said than done and if you have no food then even stealing becoming an option when death is in the line. But does that mean Apple should actively break the law and support children in the workplace and excessive hours?
It seems to me that child labour laws were not designed to screw over children and companies that use children over adults aren't doing so because they care about the well being of these children and couldn't find an adult to do that job. History has such grievances being a way to abuse cheap labour.
Good forbid a kid will work, my son has had his own business since he was 14, he has company name and an LLC and pays taxes and all. I do not see our government complaining he is working and owns his own business. Hell if you work on TV any kid of any age can work in the US as long as you carry Actors Guild union card and pay your union fees, Look at how many screwed up kids come out of the US acting industry. Why are they not being hounded for child labor.
Yeah I know, kids under 18 are not allow to have an LLC, He listed as a owner and I am the Managing Partner of the LLC for Legal matters. He is not legally allowed to sign contracts but he legally allowed to sign his tax return for the business. Typical double standards our government has.
Yeah I know, kids under 18 are not allow to have an LLC, He listed as a owner and I am the Managing Partner of the LLC for Legal matters. He is not legally allowed to sign contracts but he legally allowed to sign his tax return for the business. Typical double standards our government has.
Isn't there a way around that? Like if he was emancipated, then couldn't he be considered an adult under the law?
Well, I mean, the Gate's set up a foundation to try and bring medicine and vaccines to kids in impoverished nations, but I guess that's not as good as Apple putting them to work, right?
Comments
Good job, Apple.
I hope these kids now get the education that they deserve.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
I'm sure no parents, all over the world, want their kids to work. The fact that these were means they must be from a very poor family who had no other choice. So I hope the loss of Apple's business doesn't cause the place to close, and therefore these families to fall on even harder times.
So Apple is damned if they do and damned if they don't. Typical. That's why no company should give a damn about political correctness or the cause du jour. Here's my headline...
"Apple kicks small firm to the curb. Employees decend into abject poverty. Tim Cook refuses comment."
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClemyNX
Maybe, but it's not a behavior that has to be encouraged. There has to be a point where it's forbidden. A generation may suffer from it, then society adapts.
It is not necessary to forbid it because no parent wants their kids to work anyway. If these poor kids are allowed to work then they can afford to send their kids to school and the cycle of poverty is broken. Banning is counterproductive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
I'm sure no parents, all over the world, want their kids to work. The fact that these were means they must be from a very poor family who had no other choice. So I hope the loss of Apple's business doesn't cause the place to close, and therefore these families to fall on even harder times.
On the positive side, some other company, most likely another Chinese company employing people who don't have a lot of other options, will have to take up the slack and presumably hire some people who are not underage.
Originally Posted by ascii
I'm sure no parents, all over the world, want their kids to work.
Originally Posted by ascii
…no parent wants their kids to work anyway.
That's crazy. Of course some parents want their children to work. It's laughable to suggest otherwise.
The distinction you're trying to make is that the parents who DO want their children to have jobs are the ones who don't need their children to have jobs. They're well enough off on their own; the job is just a character-, responsibility-, and personal finance-building exercise for the child rather than something that will keep the family as a whole alive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
Underage workers don't really concern me. If some poor family wants to let their 14 year old son or daughter work at a decent job and make money, then who am I to deny them that? Is it better if their 14 year old daughter starts turning tricks instead? What matters is production and profit and Apple taking the appropriate steps to make their stock more valuable again. Apple's suppliers should be hiring more workers, to make sure that there are no more unnecessary delays and slowdowns in production.
I absolutely agree and I don't understand why others are criticizing you. In fact, I think Apple should have its suppliers lower wages around the world and stop providing ridiculous benefits like dorm rooms that sleep 12, because who cares if a 14 year-old son or daughter has less to eat or sleeps in the street and it's unacceptable that Apple's margins have dropped 2%. It's warm in a lot of those places anyway and they're used to terrible living conditions, so this won't be any worse. They should be thankful that they get to work on these great products, since they'll never be able to afford them anyway. The only thing that's important is the Apple stock price because if we can't earn 400% a year on Apple stock, than Apple must be running the company in an unethical and incompetent manner.
And there are only two choices: having 14 year-old kids work in an Apple factory or becoming prostitutes. There are absolutely no other options. It's a binary decision.
I used to work at a movie theatre in an air-conditioned shopping mall 15 hours a week for minimum wage, so this is exactly the same thing. Except that they get paid a lot less. And that they don't see their parents anymore. And that they work 60 hours a week standing in the same position on a factory line and that they're not permitted to talk. And that the chance of them ever going back to school is next to nil.
But as long as every person in the world can buy the next model of the iPhone on the first day it's released and not have to wait, that's all fine because we know what's really important here. In fact, a war with China might be really great because as we win it we can take all the people we capture, including more kids, and push them into forced labor factories, which would substantially lower Apple's costs and improve margins, thereby restoring the stock price. I don't know why other posters don't understand what's truly important.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoetmb
I absolutely agree and I don't understand why others are criticizing you. In fact, I think Apple should have its suppliers lower wages around the world and stop providing ridiculous benefits like dorm rooms that sleep 12, because who cares if a 14 year-old son or daughter has less to eat or sleeps in the street and it's unacceptable that Apple's margins have dropped 2%. It's warm in a lot of those places anyway and they're used to terrible living conditions, so this won't be any worse. They should be thankful that they get to work on these great products, since they'll never be able to afford them anyway. The only thing that's important is the Apple stock price because if we can't earn 400% a year on Apple stock, than Apple must be running the company in an unethical and incompetent manner.
That's one picture you've painted, here's another. A young teen goes to a climate controlled environment (static and dust are harmful to electronics), sits on a cushioned stool, and puts pieces of a motherboard together. He makes enough money that his family can now have two meals a day. Previously, he would work all day on the farm in the searing heat, and his family could only afford one meal a day.
He is proud of what he is able to do for his family, and vows to work his way up the ladder so that by the time he has his own kids, he will be earning enough to send them to school so they won't have to work like he did.
I just don't think that when one thinks of work, one should immediately think of slavery as you seem to. There is such a thing as work that's not slavery.
Typically goes like this. Worker goes East to find work. Gets it. Earns enough to buy a house/banks enough to live a happy life in home town. Gets end of year bonus. Goes home. Does not return.
You guys have it all wrong. See the story is about making Apple a feel good kind of company so elitist westerners will love their Apple gadgets all the more. The world is safe in Apple's hands.
Excellent response; fully agree.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lightknight
You're not exactly heartwarming.
I plead guilty.
To be honest, I'm not really too interested in any heartwarming Apple stories, and I don't see Apple financially gaining anything from this particular story.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoetmb
And there are only two choices: having 14 year-old kids work in an Apple factory or becoming prostitutes. There are absolutely no other options. It's a binary decision.
I don't know exactly what the local conditions are in those parts of the world, but I'm guessing that they don't have that many different choices to choose between, and landing a job assembling products at a supplier seems like a decent choice.
I don't agree with the end justifiying the means. I feel that it's wrong for children to work all day in leui of getting an education and would like to see every nation on this planet enforce laws that prevent such acts that limit the mental growth and awareness and create opportunities for the betterment of all mankind.
Of course, that's either said than done and if you have no food then even stealing becoming an option when death is in the line. But does that mean Apple should actively break the law and support children in the workplace and excessive hours?
It seems to me that child labour laws were not designed to screw over children and companies that use children over adults aren't doing so because they care about the well being of these children and couldn't find an adult to do that job. History has such grievances being a way to abuse cheap labour.
Questionable timing of the report's release.
Just when the avalanche of stock sell off, Apple insists its doing the world a favor by being proactive in labor practices.
Yeah, they just now decided to do anything about labour laws, wages, and safety conditions among their hundreds of suppliers around the world¡ :no:
Yeah I know, kids under 18 are not allow to have an LLC, He listed as a owner and I am the Managing Partner of the LLC for Legal matters. He is not legally allowed to sign contracts but he legally allowed to sign his tax return for the business. Typical double standards our government has.
Isn't there a way around that? Like if he was emancipated, then couldn't he be considered an adult under the law?
Well, I mean, the Gate's set up a foundation to try and bring medicine and vaccines to kids in impoverished nations, but I guess that's not as good as Apple putting them to work, right?
Fanboymuch?