Following a stunning quarterly result in which Apple more than doubled its quarterly profit to more than $13.06 billion to become one of the most profitable companies in history, there is yet another report that the company is building its success by ignoring horrific work conditions at the manufacturing plants of some of its suppliers.
In an article published by the New York Times, a former Foxconn manager alleges that "Apple never cared about anything other than increasing product quality and decreasing production cost". Whether one believes that it is Apple's responsibility to be at least interested in the safety of the workers of its suppliers or not, such reports begin to overshadow Apple's success and may damage the company's spotless image. “Workers’ welfare has nothing to do with their interests,” the manager told the Times.
Apple itself shows, at least via its website, increased interest in the well-being of the workers that build tens of millions of iPhones, and millions of iPods and iPads every quarter. The company publishes a list of suppliers and published its guidelines of supplier responsibility. However, there is no information how Apple enforces those guidelines beyond statements that it is saddened by the loss of life and injuries at those factories. The issue of abusing a workforce is slowly gaining traction in more areas, which is documented, for example, by a new casual game that enables players to run a 'Sweatshop'.
Besides, doesn't 99% of all electronics get made in China?
The only thing, apparently, crApple cares about is transferring the money in its customer's bank accounts to the crApple bank account - even if doing so costs the lives of the people it employs usurps.
The only thing worse than this, IMHO, is the fact that crApple customers do not recognize that they enable dysfunctional crApple to continue with practices such as this by buying crApple products - mostly in the name of keeping up with the Jones' or doing stuff because it is said to be easier to do on a crApple.
I believe their responsibility includes not making use of such forms of labor, as irrational a viewpoint as that seems to be. You can require certain work conditions to be met as part of your contract with another company. If they do not meet those requirements, they do not get your work and are guilty of breach of contract. Foxconn would no longer exist if the big OEM corporations stopped using them until they gave workers fair pay and rights.
The problem is also the consumers. Most people just don't care about workers in those conditions as long as they are in another part of the world. Out of sight, out of mind. If the consumers stopped purchasing goods made from this labor, it also wouldn't be used anymore. The problem is also our government, for not implementing extreme tariffs and sanctions against countries with such enormous human rights problems. Instead our government is busy starting wars and catering to the corporations that paid for them to get into office.
As Fez777 says, IF crApple employed something similar to Fair Trade practices, this would be much less of a concern. There are companies out there that do this successfully.