iPod Factory Conditions Update

[GooMan]

The whole reason companies manufacture in China is because of the cheap labor. Everyone knows this and accepts it, then when a story like this comes out a bunch of people act like they are so offended by it. How do you think they offer such cheap labor?

C'mon people.

 

[shamino]

I get really uncomfortable with this sort of moral relativism. In my mind this is a cop-out, a convenient justification of the methods used by those in charge that entirely evades the issue of whether something violates human rights. The are huge cultural differences between China and the West -- much bigger than I had thought before I came here -- but that doesn't mean "Western" ideas of treating employees well are unwelcome among those employees. I'm sure the Chinese would love a five-day work week, universal health care, etc. as much as anyone else.

I didn't say they should be denied these things.

I said we can't go around crying "human rights abuse" about every government that doesn't mandate the Western lifestyle.

You are the second person that clearly didn't read my messages.

I said very plainly that there may actually be abuses going on.

I also said that we can't go around assuming that any standard less than the US and western Europe is by definition abusive. Especially when we're dealing with a radically different culture.

 

[spikeovsky]

I didn't say they should be denied these things.

I said we can't go around crying "human rights abuse" about every government that doesn't mandate the Western lifestyle.

You are the second person that clearly didn't read my messages.

I said very plainly that there may actually be abuses going on.

I also said that we can't go around assuming that any standard less than the US and western Europe is by definition abusive. Especially when we're dealing with a radically different culture.

Oops -- I actually didn't read your post at all, and it seems that we agree 😱
I'll try to pay more attention to the words I'm quoting in the future. Sorry about the misunderstanding!

 

[thatguyjim]

Apple admits it! Over 60 Hours per week!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5262110.stm

Look everybody, chill out on this will ya. I just don't give a $h!T how sweaty Steve makes em as long as he manages to keep the Apple goodies coming out for such low retail prices to us. It's not like Apple is skimming off the cream on the deal or anything ya know. Pod maker, Foxconn will soon be pumping out new 15" Macbooks for us too, and if we complain too much about this, they might have to improve the working conditions for the slaves, I mean workers, and if that happens then I fear that'll be the end of inexpensive Apple laptops as we have known them. So please suppress your indignation.

 

[harveypooka]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5262110.stm

Look everybody, chill out on this will ya. I just don't give a $h!T how sweaty Steve makes em as long as he manages to keep the Apple goodies coming out for such low retail prices to us. It's not like Apple is skimming off the cream on the deal or anything ya know. Pod maker, Foxconn will soon be pumping out new 15" Macbooks for us too, and if we complain too much about this, they might have to improve the working conditions for the slaves, I mean workers, and if that happens then I fear that'll be the end of inexpensive Apple laptops as we have known them. So please suppress your indignation.

Har har. Well, hopefully this is a good thing; Apple, through it's influence, supporting their workers. Although they get a crap deal already, maybe this'll make it a little better and healthier?

 

[MACMUSO]

As uneducated as those people what want to condemn Apple because (here's a big surprise) a Chinese Company (Foxconn) lied about the working conditions of their people.

However, if I, as Apple, was to only partner and work with those countries that share my ideals (freedom of speech, equality, right to bare arms, etc) then I would have to stop all partnerships with most of Asia, Middle East, South America, Europe and North America....you catch my drift.

For all we know these allegations aren't even true, but discussing them here is just stupid.

Unfortunately that's the kind of attitude that the world is having to get used to from certain ill educated, insular Westerners who have no idea of what is going on outside of their own borders and probably watch too much Fox news. Not going to start a political rant hear but ignorance is not bliss when you have the global responsibilities and influence that the US has.