Apple Faced With Protesters in Taipei

By Jane McEntegart
published

Apple has come under fire in Taiwan from labor activists.

No, Apple isn’t being targeted directly, rather the group of protesters currently making noise at Apple is trying to get at Wintek, one of Apple’s suppliers.

According to the GlobalPost, labor activists have accused flat-panel maker Wintek of exploiting workers at its factories in Taiwan as well as in its subsidiary's factory in China. GP reports that after months of negotiations, Wintek has not fully addressed the group’s demands, so they're taking their campaign to one of its high-profile customers, Apple.

The labor groups claim that Wintek cut salaries and fired hundreds of workers without warning at the end of 2008. They also allege that the company made employees work unpaid overtime in order to complete orders on time.

Wintek is denying the whole thing and told the GlobalPost in an email that Wintek posted record net losses in 2008, and was forced to institute "cost-saving measures." However, the Wintek statement said that the company provided laid off staff with unemployment packages and said that all policies are in line with local law.

Jane McEntegart
28 Comments Comment from the forums
  • ADM-86
    No, Apple isn’t being targeted directly, rather the group of protesters currently making noise at Apple is trying to get at Wintek, one of Apple’s suppliers.

    .....misleading title very stupid and cheap trick.
    Reply
  • chaohsiangchen
    Those "labor activists" in Taiwan aren't workers at all. They don't work one day and perform as professional protesters since their were in college. I've been with these people when I was young and naive and since then I have extremely low regard to these people. They'd rather the companies to fail and everybody's dirt poor, instead of seeing companies to survive in bad times and seeking other method to protect labor rights. Most Taiwanese, I'd say 99% and above, would like to see Taiwanese companies to survive instead of going bankrupt.
    Reply
  • mavroxur
    So....we're talking about unfair labor practices in China? That's like singling out a piece of grass because it's green.
    Reply
  • chaohsiangchen
    mavroxurSo....we're talking about unfair labor practices in China? That's like singling out a piece of grass because it's green.
    Foreign companies in China are constantly targeted by labor inspectors from central, provincial or even county level bureaucracy. Current Chinese labor law is regarded quite protective even by Chinese standard. However, most labor abuses in China actually comes from government-owned enterprises or Chinese companies who have good connections. People simply don't stand a chance against People's Armed Police doing their cracking down on "riots."
    Reply
  • norbs
    Jane McEntegart never fails to find any news something against apple, thanks again for the unbiased news I come here for.
    Reply
  • pharge
    mavroxurSo....we're talking about unfair labor practices in China? That's like singling out a piece of grass because it's green.
    Yes and No.

    For the people got laid off by Wintek, yes.

    But the protest took place in Taiwan which is under a totally different government system and totally different sets of laws.
    Reply
  • dark_lord69
    Apple, you either love them or love to hate them.
    I am the latter.
    Reply
  • pharge
    oops sorry mistype...

    The people got laid off in China may fit mavroxur's point.

    But the people got laid off in Taiwan and the protestors are under a totally different government system and a set of totally different laws.

    Things in Taiwan are supposed to be much closer to the States than China... business is business... who knows...
    Reply
  • JMcEntegart
    ADM-86No, Apple isn’t being targeted directly, rather the group of protesters currently making noise at Apple is trying to get at Wintek, one of Apple’s suppliers......misleading title very stupid and cheap trick.
    I'm sorry if you feel 'tricked' but that wasn't my intention. Really.
    Reply
  • Nakecat
    That's the big difference between US and Taiwan. Unlike UAW, people in Taiwan are WILLING to work unpaid overtime and hope the company to get better in future. They are welling to take cut in salaries as long as they have a JOB. Even i'm not living in Taiwan now, lot of my friends are doing the same thing there.
    Reply