Apple Says Fair Labor Association Will Inspect Suppliers Including Foxconn

[onehandle]

Apple Inc. (AAPL) said the Fair Labor Association will conduct audits, at its request, of suppliers, including Foxconn Technology Group (FOXCGZ) factories in Shenzhen and Chengdu, China.

The iPhone maker became the first technology company to join the FLA in January, responding to scrutiny of conditions of workers making its gadgets. A team of labor-rights experts began the first inspections today at a facility in plant known as Foxconn City, Apple said today in a statement.

Environmental and human rights groups have criticized Apple for partnering with manufacturers such as Foxconn and for the working conditions and use of unsafe materials to build the iPhone, iPad, iPod and Mac.

As part of its assessment, the FLA will interview thousands of employees about working and living conditions including health and safety, compensation, working hours and communication with management, Apple said in its statement.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-13/apple-says-fair-labor-association-will-inspect-suppliers-including-foxconn.html

None of the dozens and dozens of others who use Foxconn's services have done anything like this.

A partial list of companies who use Foxconn:

Acer Inc.
Amazon.com
ASRock
Asus
Barnes & Noble
Cisco
Dell
EVGA Corporation
Hewlett-Packard
Intel
IBM
Lenovo
Logitech
Microsoft
MSI
Motorola
Netgear
Nintendo
Nokia
Panasonic
Philips
Samsung
Sharp
Sony Ericsson
Toshiba
Vizio

[FailureToCommunicate]

1. For all the Apple/Jobs/Mac haters, let's just recap...

and I quote the OP:

"None of the dozens and dozens of others who use Foxconn's services have done anything like this.

A partial list of companies who use Foxconn:

Acer Inc.
Amazon.com
ASRock
Asus
Barnes & Noble
Cisco
Dell
EVGA Corporation
Hewlett-Packard
Intel
IBM
Lenovo
Logitech
Microsoft
MSI
Motorola
Netgear
Nintendo
Nokia
Panasonic
Philips
Samsung
Sharp
Sony Ericsson
Toshiba
Vizio"

[.99center]

12. Can anyone provide a source for this?

Aren't ASRock, Asus, and EVGA competitor's of Foxconn?

[we can do it]

31. The Haters Won't Like This One Little Bit

Thanks for reiterating.

[Bonhomme Richard]

2. At first I was "Why pick on Apple?" but now I am glad......

that they have because I think they are the one company that will actually do something about it, even if it did take some prodding.
Some good will come out of this for those workers and that is what matters.

[tridim]

4. Being suckered by Apple PR is nothing new.

They wont do jack squat, but their PR department will make you believe that they did.

[emulatorloo]

13. The platform wars are over. Your "side" won.

So you can put away your sledge hammer re how dumb apple users are.

Here's what I am doing. I'm calling, writing, and putting pressure on all the companies whose products I use. There is hardly any computery electronic device that isn't made at Foxconn or contains a Foxconn part.

Besides my Apple gear, my PC motherboard was manufactured at Foxconn. I have a Samsung monitor, they use FoxConn. I have and love my XBOX 360, see below about the suicide protest by XBOX workers. Etc etc. I shop at Amazon, they manufacture at FoxConn.

I suggest you channel some of your Platform Warrior energy into a similar project.

You've seen the list. Go thru your house and see what you own and where it was manufactured. Call those companies and put pressure on them.

[tridim]

17. Apple users aren't dumb, just gullible.

I just bought a new motherboard over the weekend, not manufactured at Foxconn.

[onehandle]

18. Brand and part identification of each and every circuit and chip please.

I bought a burrito last night. I assume that all components of the burrito were created from scratch in the kitchen of the restaurant.

I wonder how they made the pinto beans back there?

[tridim]

19. Asus OEM, assembled in Asus's plant in Taiwan, not Foxconn.

The circuit board was printed at the Asus factory, and the chips are from all over the world.

Final assembly was completed by myself, in my bedroom, in the United States. Markup on final assembly, zero, profit margin, zero. This is simply not possible with Apple hardware.

[.99center]

20. Made up list

Asus in on their made up list that was pulled from wikipedia with half the citations missing, just got to take apple's fan's word on it. Why are so many bent on protecting a company that price gouge's and misleads consumers.

[emulatorloo]

24. Why are you so hell bent on pretending this is just an "Apple Problem"

It is way bigger than Apple, and until you can acknowledge that you don't have anything worth contributing to the discussion.

You can attempt to rationalize all you want, but that's the bottom line.

[onehandle]

23. 'all over the world' = Quite probably, some Foxconn.

Congratulations on your self final assembly. Less than 10% of the production process.

[tridim]

27. That 10% represents a real effort to deal with the Foxconn slave-labor problem.

What are you doing to help the problem when you buy your 100% Foxconn built Apple boxes?

I could certainly buy 100% Foxconn built PC's, but I don't. I have that CHOICE.

[onehandle]

33. Yep. I choose American owned Apple. Apple is the only tech co. addressing Foxconn.

Apple employs tens of thousands of Americans here in many facilities, plus thousands more in their chain of Retail Stores. And are supplied by tens of thousands of more in the U.S.

Their App Store has generated tens of thousands of jobs in the U.S. out of thin air in the last three years.

Send all your money to China and Taiwan. That's your choice.

[joshcryer]

40. Would they be even doing anything or making allusions toward doing anything without criticism?

Would they? No. No way in hell.

[onehandle]

49. Maybe, Maybe not. Maybe should someone should nudge...

Acer Inc.
Amazon.com
ASRock
Asus
Barnes & Noble
Cisco
Dell
EVGA Corporation
Hewlett-Packard
Intel
IBM
Lenovo
Logitech
Microsoft
MSI
Motorola
Netgear
Nintendo
Nokia
Panasonic
Philips
Samsung
Sharp
Sony Ericsson
Toshiba
Vizio

[joshcryer]

50. Most profitable exploiters first.

Then the rest will be forced to follow.

[Heywood J]

47. Not to wade too far into the debate,

but you just described Wal-Mart and many others.

American owned Apple Wal-Mart.

Apple Wal-Mart employs tens of thousands of Americans here in many facilities, plus thousands more in their chain of Retail Stores. And are supplied by tens of thousands of more in the U.S.

[onehandle]

51. As opposed to all those Chinese and Taiwanese owned department store chains in 'merica?

But I do get your point.

I never said that Apple were angels. Far from it. Corporations are enemies of the worker, by and large.

[Heywood J]

52. That, we can agree on. (NT)

[LanternWaste]

64. I suppose as Apple engages in PR, so too do individuals

"I could certainly buy 100% Foxconn built PC's, but I don't. I have that CHOICE...."

I suppose as Apple engages in PR, so too do individuals-- and as you stated up-thread, the gullible may indeed actually buy it...

[LiberalLovinLug]

25. Hold off on the peacock feathers

http://goodelectronics.org/news-en/taiwanese-electronics-trade-union-continues-to-face-challenges

"Young Fast Optoelectronics (YFO), a Taiwanese touch-screen manufacturer producing for among others Samsung, LG and HTC, is under heavy criticism from the YFO Trade Union (YFOTU). In April 2010, the trade union reported about sweatshop-like working conditions at YFO plants in Taiwan.................... Business-wise YFO is doing well; reportedly, HTC is increasing its orders, Nokia will start sourcing from YFO in the fourth quarter of 2010; Acer and Asus will have tablet PCs produced from 2011."

Apple is a big target. Like bobbing in a barrel with an ice pick. One reason is their central quality control ie. they produce their own product. As opposed to PCs where IBM in its lust for $ over quality, gave up control so that any sweatshop anywhere in the world could be licensed to make their own versions as cheaply as possible. Thus they are scattered everywhere with varying degrees of quality with brands like the original IBM producing decent machines, but cheapies like eMachines are regarded as crap.

Here's a chart (2010) by an independent site (I have seen similar numbers elsewhere):
http://www.laptopmag.com/mobile-life/best-brands-overall-verdict-2011.aspx




I see your choice Asus is holding #5.

It is laughable to hear PC users to jump on the bandwagon to demonize Apple's labor practices, when PC's have 10x the market and by extension use 10x the amount of foreign labor to produce their products. If even half of those plants use questionable labor practices, they are still far and away the frontrunners in this kind of abuse.

[tridim]

29. My PC is not an Asus, it's a Tridim exactly-what-I-want Special.

Only the MB is built at the Asus factory. All of the parts are spec'ed by me for cost/performace/reliability. I'll put it up against any PC or Apple sold today for speed and reliability, plus it was 50% cheaper than even a cheap turnkey Foxconn box. I don't pay for the name on the box, advertising, profit margin or cult dues.

ANYONE can do this.

[LiberalLovinLug]

36. I'll give you this much....

If you like to tinker and build your own machine, have a little geek blood in you, you can construct a fast machine with top quality parts for a good price. And you can only do this with PC. Apple makes products for those of us that are willing to spend a little more for a product that already is humming at top speed and includes all kinds of preferences built into the system to customize your experience the way you want it. For artsy types like me, being able to instantly produce graphics, music, dvds, video, etc...all integrated programs, is worth it. Also we have the peace of mind to know it has a secure Unix based system that is not (hardly) susceptible to viruses, adware, spyware.

I have a friend, who introduced me to Macintosh way back, and he now is a firm PCer. One of the rare users that switch that direction. Its because he's a geek that loves to tinker, and piece together his own machine like you. So I give him a pass, because he just cannot stand someone else, Apple or anyone, telling him what he wants and doesn't want on his machine. And he has the tech talent to do something about it.

So for the same reason I can understand your preference. Good on ya. But really, what percent of the PC population is like that? Someone who first of all has the time, and also knows their way around the inside of a computer and feels comfortable about building it themselves? I'd say maybe 3% at most.

And I don't use an Apple computer because of the name, and I don't pay "cult dues" whatever that is. I use it because I can get more work done faster, without the worry, compared to a PC. (I have used both in a working situation). The price more than pays for itself if you make a living on it.

[druidity33]

39. Yes, but so few do...

and really, would there be a computer "industry" if they did? I think Apple has done more than any other company to examine how they are part of the problem, and has tried to rectify problems that are glaring. And they are transparent about it. How many of these yearly supplier review reports do we get from HP, or Dell, or Gateway, or Toshiba? Go ahead and assemble your bits and pieces. The rest of us will continue to purchase as we see fit. Hopefully the market will continue to feed the both of us in our endeavors.

[emulatorloo]

26. Your screwdriver skills are Very Impressive. However, are you sure you FoxConn free?

because that is next to impossible.

Your motherboard's from the Asus factory. What about the the rest of the components? Intel Processor? IBM chipset? etc etc etc

Don't you have other electronic devices? Computer peripherals? Cell Phone? MP3 player? Are you certain that Foxconn didn't have a hand in their manufacture?

[tridim]

30. I'm sure it's not foxconn free.

But it is more foxconn free than your Apple which is 100% foxconn.

[emulatorloo]

42. HA HA, There's no such thing as "a little bit pregnant"

Again I challenge you to do what I am doing. Find the Foxconn manufactured items you use, put pressure on the companies by calling them, writing them, whatever you can think of that is legal and might be effective.

[LanternWaste]

65. I imagine we often rationalize our own transgressions...

"But it is more foxconn free than your Apple..."

I imagine we often rationalize our own transgressions by comparing mere degrees of our iniquities, and then use that to justify our ethics over that of others.

[quakerboy]

58. You realize Foxcon is HQ'd in Taiwan, right?

The "fun&quot read cancer causing, 18 hour shift on the line, suicide causing) parts were still done by what amounts to slave labor. Probably by Foxcon workers or subcontractors, just not their biggest factory.

I wouldn't make any bets about your HD, your processor, your video card, your case, your power supply, your mouse, your keyboard, your monitor, etc either.

I wonder if we can start to consider real solutions rather than posturing before it is too late to do anything.

[teknomanzer]

57. What are you building?

I will be putting together a new multimedia machine soon and at this point I do not want my money going to foxconn.

BTW - The price of hard discs totally blows my mind. I was aware of the flood in Thailand but I didn't figure on these inflated prices. I feel like the market is milking this one a bit much, especially on the retail end.

[tridim]

61. I remember paying $400 for 40GB hard drives in the early 90's.

You can still get 1TB hard drives for little less than $100 at Microcenter. It looks like the prices went up about 10-20% after the tsunami, still not that bad, but there is definitely less choice now. I think they're trying to sell us SSD's which IMO are overpriced and not large enough yet. I can live with my PC not booting in 2 seconds.

On the other hand, DDR3 memory is so cheap now that I actually LOL'ed at the price.

I'm building a machine mostly for music production, I didn't go bleeding edge, I always go for best bang/buck which is currently the i5 2500k quad-core and Asus P8Z68, just using onboard (actually on-CPU now) GPU. I'm not a gamer at all. Thankfully my relatively old pro soundcard still works beautifully with the new architecture.

Final result, 9x increase in speed for $260.

[joshcryer]

38. Precisely, the child labor for example, completely swept under the rug.

They allegedly cracked down on it but if the reports by Mike Daisey are true, it's all a sham.

[teknomanzer]

56. Really. Lets see what this inspection results in....

You can't trust any multi-national corporation to do anything but blow smoke up the consumers ass.

[qanda]

3. Good for them

They are profiting the most so I guess they should set the example.

[Akoto]

5. I hope FLA is able to get a clear review of the place.

Given what I have heard about Foxconn, I fear some of the employees may be afraid to give critical answers to the inspectors' questions. I'm glad Apple is doing this, though.

Right now, I am using an iPad 2 recently gifted to me. As a physically disabled person, it has really opened up the world for me. I'd like to know that the people working hard to assemble this and other wonderful technologies are treated well in the future.

[grahamhgreen]

6. A tarrif on Chinese iPhones would end it.

[Suji to Seoul]

8. Sadly, you can't slap a tarrif on American products made in other countries

[grahamhgreen]

35. Why not?

[Suji to Seoul]

41. That pesky constitution about American businesses cannot be subjected to tarrifs

even if the product is produced in foreign countries.

[Heywood J]

45. Where is that now?

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
That's the full-text document, it's not that long to read. Where do you see this?

[Heywood J]

46. ETA: Here are important parts of Article I:

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

[div class="Except"]No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

There may be Supreme Court cases dealing with this, but the court can overrule itself (and has).

[Suji to Seoul]

54. A reasonable attorney would have a good case to say the American company can claim

That even though their products were made overseas, Domestic enterprises are immune from tariffs because they are still American companies. Where the product was assembled is irrelevant, as the business license and all the legalities of the business are born through American law.

I am not disagreeing with you, but it would be an easy logical leap from saying "States cannot tariff other states' products" to "The Federal Government cannot tariff American products made overseas."

If I were the businesses attorneys, I would make that argument. And I support your idea.

[grahamhgreen]

60. "without the Consent of the Congress"..

I read that to mean we can make a law that imposes said tariff.

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;


No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.


No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State."

[Suji to Seoul]

62. You're asking Congress to approve a state's request for a tariff on American products made overseas?

That is political suicide for all involved.

Congress would never approve tariffs on an American company's products.

[grahamhgreen]

63. I respectfully disagree. Amercans would love to see a tariff on Chinese made goods.

[FredisDead]

7. Why do the Chinese people

omly protest against Apple for breaking chinese labor laws?

http://imgur.com/a/LTob5

[emulatorloo]

10. Xbox 360 workers in China threaten mass suicide

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45969515/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/t/xbox-workers-china-threatened-mass-suicide/#.TzkzDPF5mK0

Xbox workers in China threatened mass suicide
'The reason you see these protests is because the employees feel they have no other option,' rights activist reportedly says

1/12/2012 7:35:11 AM ET

BEIJING — Dozens of workers assembling Xbox video game consoles climbed to a factory dormitory roof, and some threatened to jump to their deaths, in a dispute over jobs that was defused but highlights growing labor unrest as China's economy slows.

More at link

--------------------------

[FredisDead]

11. Microsoft says Foxconn protest not linked to working conditions

http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/careers/3329638/microsoft-says-foxconn-protest-not-linked-to-working-conditions/

Microsoft investigated a workers protest at its contract manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group, and found that the dispute in Wuhan, China had nothing to do with working conditions, and was related to staffing assignments and transfer policies, the company claims.

[emulatorloo]

14. Um, ok

[Suji to Seoul]

9. Kunshan, Shenzhen, Wuhan are three I know of

Have fun when they show up. Prepare for a show of everyone claiming life is good and how wonderful it is.

Then, when the inspectors leave, life will go back to normal.

I've seen it in schools here. It's SOP here.

[CAPHAVOC]

16. Breaking!.....Foxconn to loan suicide prevention safety nets to Fox News headquarters.

For election night 2012. As I type this on my Foxconn wireless keyboard.

[CAPHAVOC]

21. Why complain now about slave labor?

The Stock Market and our whole economy...or what is left of it...are built on Slave Labor at this point. What do you think NAFTA and WTO are all about? Free Trade? HAHAHA. What next? The New York Stock Exchange runs up the Stars and Bars and plays Dixie? Oh, I forgot the Civil War was not about slavery. Slave Labor is coming soon to Greece. They will be very competitive.

[totodeinhere]

22. That long list of electronics companies makes me wonder where if anywhere a socially conscious

consumer can purchase electronics products without selling out.

[christx30]

28. Most of the things

that we use in the world uses slave labor. Chocolate, electronica, carpets, coal, clothing, diamonds, rice.
This isn't just a boycott thing. This will require a top-down reform of humanity. There is likely not any thing you are able to buy that is not manufactured by child or forced labor. Unscrupulous capitalism, enabled by local governments, and our Western governments turning a blind eye to the practice.

[boppers]

34. Well, there's this:

http://www.ranker.com/list/top-100-socially-responsible-companies/business-and-company-info

Note the cross-over.

[totodeinhere]

44. Thank you but I notice that some of the companies on the list of Socially Responsible Companies that

you link to are also on the OP's list of companies that use use Foxconn.

[boppers]

59. Hence: "Note the cross-over".

It's a bit like trying to find companies that make socially responsible coffee. Very few exist that have a perfect supply chain for their entire product range.

[Dreamer Tatum]

32. And the minute they leave...back to the chain gang.

Those new iPiads aren't going to build themselves, and millions of hipsters are waiting to send
ironic pictures of themselves at the PBR brewery over 4G.

[joshcryer]

37. Oh, all is forgiven, these precious saints.

Golly gee, what a wonderful, beautiful caring corporation. Why should anyone have criticized them?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

43. The first 6 words....

Apple Says: Fair Labor Association Will...




FLAW

[Pholus]

53. So if the results are bad enough will Apple bring the jobs back here?

Oh wait. They answered that already.

Nope!

[Pholus]

55. Darn I'm slow -- I forgot who the Fair Labor Association even was!

After graduating college I had stopped reading what the United Students Against Sweatshops were saying about FLA. I remember old "you-sass" didn't have very nice things to say about FLA a few years back -- they typically used the name: "so-called Fair Labor Association."

Of course, their position was that Nike is was an evil corporation bent solely on profiting from sweatshop labor and wanting PR cover in the form of a standards group. I'm sure this is completely different...

Oblink...a year old.

http://cornellsun.com/node/45930