Apple has cut ties with a Chinese supplier after an audit found that it employed underage workers.
During one of its audits of Guangdong Real Faith Pingzhou Electronics, Apple found that the supplier employed underage workers to work in its factories. Apple immediately broke its relationship with the supplier and reported it to Chinese authorities.
74 underage workers were working there and they were all under 16 years of age. They were supplied by a recruitment company, Shenzhen Quanshun Human Resources Co Ltd, which has since had its business licence revoked by the regional government due to the findings.
The iPhone maker managed to discover the practice after discovering several fake age verification documents. Real Faith Pingzhou Electronics was fined and were ordered to secure the transport for the underage workers back to their homes. Other firms who work with the supplier have followed Apple in launching their own audits into the firm.
"We go deep in the supply chain to find it," Apple senior vice-president of operations Jeff Williams said. "And when we do find it, we ensure that the under-age workers are taken care of, the suppliers are dealt with."
Foxconn, Apple's main supplier for its products, previously admitted to violating labor laws by employing 14 and 15-year-old interns.
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Zak Islam is a freelance writer focusing on security, networking, and general computing. His work also appears at Digital Trends and Tom's Guide.
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Guangdong Real Faith Pingzhou Electronics Real Faith lol, not to the workers, thats for sure :)Reply
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unoriginal1 "we ensure that the under-age workers are taken care of" I'd like to know how Apple took care of them.Reply
Just saying... When I was >16 yrs of age. I worked when I was told to, Or needed money for something I really wanted. I imagine these kids worked because their families needed support. Just wondering how they were "taken care of" now that they have less income coming home. -
ddpruitt Only reason the "found" underage workers is so they could legally cancel their contract without a penalty as a result of slowing demand, if they had plenty of demand were their I'm sure they wouldn't have any problems with this.Reply -
bobusboy So, because of our western values; we have destroyed the livelyhood of people who had no income before and were making a pittance at this company? I'm all in favour of people getting paid what they're owed. But I had a job when I was 15, and I live in North America. I'd be interested to know how old these "underage" workers were.Reply -
Daedalus12 I feel like too many people abhor child workers and demand they stop working before actually looking into what the other income options are for these children and their families. How exactly did apply "make sure they were taken care of?" Some of the other options that children are forced into are much worse. I truly hope apple has taken care of them and their families before cutting off their income supply. I fear that they have not.Reply -
SirGCal I've worked 'for the man' in some form since I was 14 years old. What's the freakin deal? I worked at McD's of all crapholes. I would have killed for a real job like these guys seemed to have. WTH is going on?Reply -
Daedalus12 daedalus12I feel like too many people abhor child workers and demand they stop working before actually looking into what the other income options are for these children and their families. How exactly did apple "make sure they were taken care of?" Some of the other options that children are forced into are much worse. I truly hope apple has taken care of them and their families before cutting off their income supply. I fear that they have not.Reply -
sykozis bobusboySo, because of our western values; we have destroyed the livelyhood of people who had no income before and were making a pittance at this company? I'm all in favour of people getting paid what they're owed. But I had a job when I was 15, and I live in North America. I'd be interested to know how old these "underage" workers were.It's not just our "western values"....it's also Chinese law.... The Chinese Gov't chose to pass labor laws that protect children....why exactly are we bashing this?Reply
Daedalus12I feel like too many people abhor child workers and demand they stop working before actually looking into what the other income options are for these children and their families. How exactly did apply "make sure they were taken care of?" Some of the other options that children are forced into are much worse. I truly hope apple has taken care of them and their families before cutting off their income supply. I fear that they have not.So, at what age do you think a child should be forced into working? 6? 7? 8? It's not the child's job to support the family. It's the family's job to support the child....