Child Labor in iPhone/iPod Manufacturing Uncovered By Apple

[Michael Essany]

New iPhone owners are often told that the smartphone is simple enough for a child to use. Apparently, it's also simple enough for a child to build - an exploitative situation that is gaining international attention today for obvious reasons.

In what can best be described as a disturbing find in an Apple audit, Cupertino has revealed (according to an article in BusinessWeek), that three of its overseas suppliers hired nearly a dozen "underage workers" last year to assist in the manufacturing of popular Apple mobile devices and computers. The unfortunate situation was discovered during a comprehensive on-site audit of better than one hundred factories.

The company visited sites in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Philippines and the U.S.

Although many details about these situations haven't been made public yet, we've all been exposed to horrendous media reports about underage labor and less-than-ideal working conditions. According to a statement from Cupertino to BusinessWeek, “Apple’s Code sets a maximum of 60 work hours per week and requires at least one day of rest per seven days of work.” This code was obviously widely violated at the unnamed facilities where underage workers, falsified employee records, and even theft have now been uncovered.

In the past, Apple has stopped doing business with suppliers and facilities that were found to have been in violation of either Apple's code or facilitating unsafe or inadequate working conditions. According to a statement from Apple, the company has long endeavored to create "extensive training programs to educate workers about their right to a safe and respectful work environment." In light of these disturbing findings and the reality that some people will take any work available to survive, Apple will likely take a fresh look at their policies and how they are enforced across a very broad global landscape.

While Apple certainly didn't sanction the illegal employment of children and the poor working conditions in which the workers were found, Apple now finds itself in full damage-control mode - a situation that will certainly lead to swift action to resolve the ugly findings that sparked this story and delivered a fresh black eye on Apple's corporate image.

[wingedfoot26]

duhh...

[Zeal]

WHOOOOOOOOoOOOOOOPS!

[battlecrushr]

wow apple

[equazian]

wow. see, we never think about this kind of stuff. kids are being severely underpaid to make OUR stuff for dirt money. this is horrible. apple should be slapping itself on the head for being so blind

[extremzocker]

child-labour. apple getting the hardware dirt cheap and then selling it for so much profit.

why would apple not check reguarly? its their responsibility

[Hyperextension]

wow. see, we never think about this kind of stuff. kids are being severely underpaid to make OUR stuff for dirt money. this is horrible. apple should be slapping itself on the head for being so blind

Kids underpaid??? They shouldnt be working in a sweat shop PERIOD.

[mytran80]

Kids underpaid??? They shouldnt be working in a sweat shop PERIOD.

i think they call it " capitalism at it's finest" , the absolute essential to the survival of corporate america at a time of fearing a greater recession to secure their existents .

from having slaves building "the white house" to child labor working for corporate america,these issue will take time to resolve but for now it works for the wealthy class unless we socialize the system mwwaahahaha

[brotherbond007]

Get dem kids to workin'! Come on we got the new iPhone due by June!!!!

[thetoothfairy]

If Apple hired people in the U.S to make their stuff maybe they would not be in this situation would they? At least they are doing something about it...

[steve-z17]

At least Apple's doing something about it, there are hundreds of other shops all over the world who know about child labor and harsh working conditions and do nothing about it. As soon as they found out Apple put an end to it and will definitely be watching out to make sure it doesn't happen again. Other companies out there could care less, as long as they can pay them dirt cheap they're happy.

[dale1v]

Get dem kids to workin'! Come on we got the new iPhone due by June!!!!

lol

[Kroo]

i think they call it " capitalism at it's finest" , the absolute essential to the survival of corporate america at a time of fearing a greater recession to secure their existents .

from having slaves building "the white house" to child labor working for corporate america,these issue will take time to resolve but for now it works for the wealthy class unless we socialize the system mwwaahahaha

I think you'll find most, if not all, of these countries are communist countries, comrade!! So before you jump on your high horse in an attempt to slay the capitalist dragon, condemn the people who use child labor as a basis for their industries. China, Nth Korea, India, Pakistan, Taiwan. Do you know where, or who makes the shoes, or clothes you're wearing? At least some companies like Apple actually do audits. Nike on the other hand, know this happens and is happy to make billions on the back of sweat shops.

[iZoom]

I think the only communist state in the OP's article is China

[flix]

"[...] iSuppli estimates the 64GB iPad costs Apple $307.85 in parts and $10 in labor, and $334.95 for parts and $11.20 for labor with 3G."

This is what I don't understand - if only about $10 of the cost is labor, then how much more would it be to just make these in the US? How much more does an American worker cost? Double, triple, more? Still, even an extra $20 is nothing compared to the huge margin that Apple gains on its products.

So again... why not simply make them here?

[Bluprint]

All that work for this...

http://modmyi.com/images/pauldanielash/jobsmoney.jpg

[hancoma]

"[...] iSuppli estimates the 64GB iPad costs Apple $307.85 in parts and $10 in labor, and $334.95 for parts and $11.20 for labor with 3G."

This is what I don't understand - if only about $10 of the cost is labor, then how much more would it be to just make these in the US? How much more does an American worker cost? Double, triple, more? Still, even an extra $20 is nothing compared to the huge margin that Apple gains on its products.

So again... why not simply make them here?

They don't make it here as they can get cheap labor overseas, and sell it for the same price in the states, thus increasing profit margins and revenue.

I do not want to hear that if they made it here we could not afford it! That is an absolute lie...seriously, does anyone think the corporations build overseas so they can sell it here cheaper? No, they do it for company stock profits.

Consider Toyota (not discussing recent quality issues), but they are one company that continues to develop and manufacture vehicles in the states, and are STILL PROFITABLE, and one of the highest selling companies out there. Other companies are building car parts, engines, etc overseas and assembling in the states...are still not profitable, and rely on a bailout....

So yea, they can make it here, they don't want to..

[matthew1111]

Apple fails. Shouldn't they see who they're getting supplies from?

[flix]

I can't think of any other company that comes even close to Apple's huge margins. With low margins and fierce competition, many companies couldn't survive if they wouldn't outsource their manufacturing. But Apple? Just see the above figures and judge for yourself.

[pyromcr]

apple just cant catch a break this month...