Foxconn Workers Reportedly Strike over iPhone 5 Quality Control Demands

[MJD Dawg]

Bring the jobs back overseas.

I'm assuming you mean bring the jobs back to North America. The thing is that it's only in countries like China where there is virtually an unlimited pool of workers willing to work long hours for what in the west would be considered peanuts that it's even possible to make a phone like this in the numbers required and at a cost that makes sense.

I think an iPhone made in the USofA would cost twice as much, and with the numbers required to be produced, shipping estimates for orders would be 4 months, not 4 weeks.

 

[Ultimedia]

This is America! We designed the best smartphone in the world and its marked Made in China, Hell no!

With "we" you mean a design team lead by Johny Ive a British designer.

 

[SatManager]

There was a report recently that Foxconn would go full automation. Which means robots doing everything. The only place humans would be involved in the assembly line is to make sure the robots are working properly.

If this really happens then manufacturing will no longer be a significant employer to low-skilled workers. I hope manufacturing moves to full automation so we don't have to deal with sweat shops.

If you look at it from the view of the laborer, which would you like to do, work at a higher wage working in a factory producing an item or working at a vastly reduced salary pushing a plow behind the back of an ox? That is why Foxconn and the other factories have a line of applicants for positions. As far as I know, Foxconn hasn't forced anyone to apply for the job, nor have they forced anyone to stay if they don't want to. Foxconn does not want a troublemaker for an employee, so they will fire the troublemaker. You may also want to consider that Foxconn is being told what labor rates are required by the Chinese and from what I have read, they are paying over the required rate in many cases.

But once society in the country advances, labor costs increase. We are now seeing the first signs of it occurring in China. Once the cost of labor plus the cost of other factors to move the product to the user, then a company will move manufacturing closer to the user.

Apple will work with Foxconn to ensure that quality control standards are implemented. Foxconn will have to determine why quality has slipped, and why production does not meet contractual requirements. Foxconn signed a contract with Apple to produce products. So Foxconn will either fix the problem or tell Apple that they can't meet their contractual requirements for the cost agreed. Foxconn has already moved some production to Brazil. Who knows where else they may move production.

 

[JS82712]

Let me get this straight, a bunch of chinese workers at foxconn, who get paid above-average salary relative to other chinese factories, is b****ing about having to control the quality of a piece of electronics worth $700.

They need to be fired, I'm sure there are a lot of people who are eager to work there.

 

[iHateMacs]

Wow. Trying to get high tech equipment made in a country that thinks a water buffalo is cutting edge, and the quality control is not up to spec. Who would have thought!

What's wrong with spending some of the $billions profit and getting them made in CA?

It's a cliche buts peanuts and monkeys etc ...

 

[tigres]

Go give this a read.

http://micgadget.com/29723/the-unde...-new-iphone-5-is-made-inside-foxconn-factory/

 

[Timzer]

Apple iDevices = The new Blood Diamonds.
Truly a sad picture Apple has painted for itself.

 

[iChrist]

Bring the jobs back overseas.

Are you talking about bringing the job to the US?

Ha.

First, Apple will NEVER cut their profit margins for any reason. If they could find a country that allowed slavery they would go there.

Second, if you think turn around is slow with Chinese workers... let an American do it. Really.



.

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This is America! We designed the best smartphone in the world and its marked Made in China, Hell no!

We? Does that include you? Or do you just happen, by chance, to live in the same country as Jobs was born.

lol

 

[jamojamo]

Apple iDevices = The new Blood Diamonds.
Truly a sad picture Apple has painted for itself.

Give this a read, it's not just Apple or Foxconn. So save some of your outrage for Samsung, et al.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2012/09/these-samsung-factories-sound-bad-foxconn/56542/

 

[gmanrique]

You are mixing Apples and oranges

Nothing wrong with expecting a $700 to $900 pocket device to be well made. This is not a few tiny scuffs. And the problem is not a matter of not considering the Chinese workers "fellow human beings", in fact, this is a poor excuse for a problem in Apple's manufacturing and QA of this product in some of the assembly lines.

We take our devices way too seriously. The Foxconn employees are not useless, lazy slobs. Lemons are commonplace in every market, and honestly- a few tiny scuffs are NOT A BIG DEAL. These are fellow human beings we are talking about.

 

[JS82712]

Apple iDevices = The new Blood Diamonds.
Truly a sad picture Apple has painted for itself.

you are clueless.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Nothing wrong with expecting a $700 to $900 pocket device to be well made. This is not a few tiny scuffs. And the problem is not a matter of not considering the Chinese workers "fellow human beings", in fact, this is a poor excuse for a problem in Apple's manufacturing and QA of this product in some of the assembly lines.

Agreed 100%. These are not your usual lemons with a few tiny scuffs, but obviously damaged iPhones full of nicks and scuffs that should not have passed QC at all.

 

[robanga]

you are clueless.

Just trolling - anyone who believes this issue is Apple's alone, refuses to look at the computer they are typing on.

 

[Sony311]

>roll eyes<

This is America! We designed the best smartphone in the world and its marked Made in China, Hell no!

 

[iphoneclassic]

Wow. Trying to get high tech equipment made in a country that thinks a water buffalo is cutting edge, and the quality control is not up to spec. Who would have thought!

What's wrong with spending some of the $billions profit and getting them made in CA?

It's a cliche buts peanuts and monkeys etc ...

Impossible to make it here. Imagine the amount of pollution these factories generate. If Apple is paying $8/piece you probably cannot pay even minimum wage of $7.25 plus benefits to labor.

I am surprised everyone blaming Foxconn workers. If Apple choose wrong material or wrong process, no manufacturer in the world can yield the quality required.

October 24 conference call will be very interesting for Tim Cook. May be he will resign before that date.

 

[mccldwll]

Reading through these comments it's increasingly evident that the reason given by aapl and about every other company selling hi tech products is true. There aren't enough educated and qualified engineers in the U.S.. Period. For the most part it's the assembly that takes place at Foxconn. That's a very small part of the total cost of production.

 

[Fishticks]

LOL Maybe 5% of the population lives to that saying... Most of us in America are lazy. I work 60 hours a week for my job and a majority of my friends/family/co-workers start bitching once they hit 30 hours.

Yeah lazy bitch.
There are 7x24=168hours a week, and you only work 60.
So stop complaining while you still earn too much given the quality of your intellect.

 

[MJD Dawg]

It looks like the QC requirements are very stringent, at least for the current production run.

0.02 mm

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/foxconn-workers-strike-over-insane-202556184.html

It was reported that factory management and Apple, despite design defects, raised strict quality demands on workers, including indentations standards of 0.02mm and demands related to scratches on frames and back covers.

Did anyone else pick up on these three words?

 

[pure3d2]

Yes, and the price of that Iphone will double.

Actually, I remember someone from Apple saying that it costs about $8 in labor to assemble a device like an iPhone. Most of the extra costs are due to certain excessive regulation and bureaucracy required in order to get a factory up and running here in the US.

 

[SatManager]

Reading through these comments it's increasingly evident that the reason given by aapl and about every other company selling hi tech products is true. There aren't enough educated and qualified engineers in the U.S.. Period. For the most part it's the assembly that takes place at Foxconn. That's a very small part of the total cost of production.

And then we provide government subsidies to college students so they can study Advanced Basketweaving, MBA's, Lawyers, etc instead of directing the taxpayer money to the degrees that are needed to advance the economic development of the USA. And then we have a glut of advanced basket weavers that now have to work at McDonald's for employment. Until the Executive and Legislative branches of the USA show the Guts to make the hard decisions for the USA, we are never going to have a country that moves forward. Sitting still is a great way to watch others advance and pass us.

 

[urbanlung]

I guess you still work for $2 an hour? No?

$2 an hour in the US is not the same as $2 an hour in China.

 

[Fishticks]

Actually, I remember someone from Apple saying that it costs about $8 in labor to assemble a device like an iPhone. Most of the extra costs are due to certain excessive regulation and bureaucracy required in order to get a factory up and running here in the US.

The true problem if that they're not able to find enough skilled workers in the US to assemble iPhones. So they have to go to country where people have more skills.

 

[cdmoore74]

We take our devices way too seriously. The Foxconn employees are not useless, lazy slobs. Lemons are commonplace in every market, and honestly- a few tiny scuffs are NOT A BIG DEAL. These are fellow human beings we are talking about.

Was this sent from your iPad, iPhone or Mac?

 

[gnasher729]

Thanks Amoda for the article.

As I sit here reading and typing this on my iphone5 I feel disgusted. This amounts to modern day slavery. And with my purchase I am feeding it. I love all the apple products I own but if things don't change I am sure I can live with out a new iPhone every year. We need to think about the PEOPLE who are making these products.

What do you feel disgusted about? You only look at the salary, but you need to look at the cost of living as well.

$2 an hour in the US is not the same as $2 an hour in China.

As an example, the hairdresser that cuts your hair works for $2 an hour as well in China (if they are lucky). $2 in China pays for the meal, not for the tip.

Sadly, I'm really beginning to get a sinking feeling that owning my shiny new iPhone 5 is promoting the suffering of Chinese people. I am hoping that is not the case, and I would like to hear more. Do we have any contacts with people associated with the factory here on the forums?

Actually, your iPhone 5 is paying these people's wages. If you don't buy things, how much do you think people in China are paid for not working? If you want to feel bad, inform yourself how much the people in India making your clothes get paid.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Very exciting to see China changing. It's like we're witnessing the exact same pattern that took place in the US about 100 years ago.

The true problem if that they're not able to find enough skilled workers in the US to assemble iPhones. So they have to go to country where people have more skills.

I've heard this before and I don't know what it means. These are the types of trades where you would learn on the job. It's true that we train children in the US as if they're going to create a renaissance than be trade workers, but in the case of putting together electronics, what could you teach? It would be different for each product.