The iPhone and US Jobs

[vrDrew]

There's a great article on the iPhone and how, and why, the iPhone isn't made in the USA in today's New York Times.

Apple executives say that going overseas, at this point, is their only option. One former executive described how the company relied upon a Chinese factory to revamp iPhone manufacturing just weeks before the device was due on shelves. Apple had redesigned the iPhone’s screen at the last minute, forcing an assembly line overhaul. New screens began arriving at the plant near midnight.

A foreman immediately roused 8,000 workers inside the company’s dormitories, according to the executive. Each employee was given a biscuit and a cup of tea, guided to a workstation and within half an hour started a 12-hour shift fitting glass screens into beveled frames. Within 96 hours, the plant was producing over 10,000 iPhones a day.

“The speed and flexibility is breathtaking,” the executive said. “There’s no American plant that can match that.”

Its a fascinating article, and one that Apple - despite being offered extensive previews of - refused to comment on. Reading it, I can't necessarily fault Apple for the decisions that they made. But its worrying, in the extreme, about the prospects for the American middle class.

 

[cyks]

There's a great article on the iPhone and how, and why, the iPhone isn't made in the USA in today's New York Times.



Its a fascinating article, and one that Apple - despite being offered extensive previews of - refused to comment on. Reading it, I can't necessarily fault Apple for the decisions that they made. But its worrying, in the extreme, about the prospects for the American middle class.

True, but there's another big reason why they won't/ can't be made in the US (or, for the most part, any other modern country)... the cost of waste and removal of the hazardous materials used in the manufacturing process.

 

[VulchR]

It's just a matter of time before the US and China levels of wealth even out. Then both countries will lose jobs to India, Brazil, Indonesia,... Finally, all the jobs will be in Africa. The only way the West can stay afloat is through
maintaining its excellent infrastructure and educational system, and yet...

 

[Stealthipad]

There's a great article on the iPhone and how, and why, the iPhone isn't made in the USA in today's New York Times.



Its a fascinating article, and one that Apple - despite being offered extensive previews of - refused to comment on. Reading it, I can't necessarily fault Apple for the decisions that they made. But its worrying, in the extreme, about the prospects for the American middle class.

If you think the iPhone is expensive now, just imagine what a union run line in the US would cost us. It would double the costs. Not many of us would want to sit on an assembly line for hours and hours, unemployment pays too good!

Another big big plus on the way China does it, your workers do not go home at the end of the day, they are forced to live there. Less secrets about the new phone can escape.

If the iPhone 5 was being made in the USA we would know everything about it by now. Likely workers would have ripped them off and we would be seeing them on eBay shortly!

 

[pdqgp]

Better reads and mp3 here

Hang on, your views of Apple may just change.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/454/mr-daisey-and-the-apple-factory

 

[Carl Sagan]

This is what you get in a globalised economy, it's the way of the world....

 

[kfergiez]

It's laughable that they are telling apple that if they bring production to the states, instead of getting taxed 35%, they'll get taxed 0%.
Yup, there's a way to get us out of debt....

Besides, with the way eastern factories work, what with $0.35 an hour, and getting up at midnight, I think the cost of production would MORE than double if a union run U.S. factory produced them. Paying factory workers $35.00 an hour. Not to mention the strikes would happen because they weren't getting paid enough.

If you do your job well, you get a raise and promotion. If you are lazy, you get unionized, and get a raise and retirement. Then the guy that works well can't get a promotion.

 

[ADAADW]

It's laughable that they are telling apple that if they bring production to the states, instead of getting taxed 35%, they'll get taxed 0%.
Yup, there's a way to get us out of debt....

Besides, with the way eastern factories work, what with $0.35 an hour, and getting up at midnight, I think the cost of production would MORE than double if a union run U.S. factory produced them. Paying factory workers $35.00 an hour. Not to mention the strikes would happen because they weren't getting paid enough.

If you do your job well, you get a raise and promotion. If you are lazy, you get unionized, and get a raise and retirement. Then the guy that works well can't get a promotion.

.... This is a very one sided point and i feel your very misinformed about your history both past and present on the topic of union work. Sorry to hear it.

 

[Zcott]

As a European, I don't want to pay more for my iPhone because it was made in the US as opposed to China.

 

[kfergiez]

Oh I realize that Unions served their purpose in the past, however most... I'll say that again. MOST (not all) are useless. I firmly believe that Unions can only survive during times of struggle and unhappiness. I've seen first hand unions CREATE those circumstances so they don't go obsolete.

A perfect example. Teacher 'A' is a good teacher, but teacher 'B' is lazy and a bad teacher. Teacher 'A' can't get promoted or a raise for doing a good job, because there is a union pay scale set. Teacher 'B' cannot be fired or reprimanded because the union says that you have to document for several years, and the teacher is tenured. I'm sick and tired of unions having the 'fight the boss' mentality.

Overall, good teachers can't be rewarded, bad teachers can't be reprimanded, so we're stuck with mediocrity. Woo hoo.

 

[fins831]

It's just a matter of time before the US and China levels of wealth even out. Then both countries will lose jobs to India, Brazil, Indonesia,... Finally, all the jobs will be in Africa. The only way the West can stay afloat is through
maintaining its excellent infrastructure and educational system, and yet...

LOL right. Thanks for the good laugh...