After intense scrutiny of its factory working conditions, Foxconn â which builds most of Apple's products â has made significant changes for its workers in China.
The improvements made by Foxconn were highlighted in a story published this week by The New York Times. Authors Keith Bradsher and Charles Duhigg revealed that a high-ranking official from Apple held a "critical meeting" with Foxconn's top executives in March to discuss working conditions in the company's Chinese factories.
As a result of those meetings, Foxconn promised to implement a number of "wide-ranging reforms," including reducing workers' hours and significantly boosting wages. Other minor changes focused on employee safety and comfort: protective foam on low ceilings in stairwells, automatic shut-off features on machines, and cushioned seats for assembly line workers.
The Times also revealed that Apple has tripled its social responsibility staff in the last year. The iPhone maker has also asked its competitors to "help curb excessive overtime in China and has reached out to advocacy groups it once rebuffed."
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook indicated earlier this year at the D10 conference that he plans to open up publicly about labor issues in an effort to be a market leader in accountability. Cook also said Apple had already placed "a ton of effort" into reducing overtime for Foxconn workers.
This year, for the first time ever, Apple began publishing a list of its component suppliers. Apple also became the first technology company to partner with the Fair Labor Association for independent audits of its partners' overseas factories. The company also conducts its own annual audit of hundreds of suppliers.
Companies such as Apple have come under fire for their reliance on Chinese labor for the assembly of popular electronic devices. Critics have contended that wages are too low, and have pointed to employee suicides as evidence of poor working conditions.
Cook himself visited a Foxconn factory in March, around the same time that the Times revealed that an unnamed high-ranking official from Apple had discussions with Foxconn executives.
The report did note that even with Apple's push for reform at Foxconn, there are still issues with illegal overtime and worker safety.
16 Comments
That's great for the workers and all though if it weren't for the flack Apple was getting, it wouldn't really matter suffice to say.
Apple's the only company improving anything without being told to. And Apple is the only company being blamed for poor conditions in a country over which they have zero real control whatsoever.
Screw that.
Where's the NYT articles exposing all of the other companies using FoxConn or other manufacturers with similar or worse working conditions? Drives me crazy when they pick one company to be their whipping boy and give everyone else a free ride. Lazy and specious journalism. Between them and that ass making up crap for his theater act, it's enough to give one a headache. Considering how quiet Apple can be about things they consider to be internal matters, I wonder how many reforms they may have been trying to get into place before all of the furor hit? Maybe none, who knows. All I see is a company that is actually doing something and still getting pasted in the media. I guess they can console themselves that when you're in the lead, you're the easiest target.
Where's the NYT articles exposing all of the other companies using FoxConn or other manufacturers with similar or worse working conditions? Drives me crazy when they pick one company to be their whipping boy and give everyone else a free ride. Lazy and specious journalism. Between them and that ass making up crap for his theater act, it's enough to give one a headache.
Considering how quiet Apple can be about things they consider to be internal matters, I wonder how many reforms they may have been trying to get into place before all of the furor hit? Maybe none, who knows. All I see is a company that is actually doing something and still getting pasted in the media. I guess they can console themselves that when you're in the lead, you're the easiest target.
They* haven't been able to force the stock price below $500 and it pisses them off.
(*you know who "they" is and if you don't then make something up)
I note the NYT is now taking credit for pushing Apple to make the reforms, even though its articles were published after Apple had already instigated everything they're now praising them for.