Child Workers Discovered in Apple Factories

[RttaM]

February has not been a good month for the Apple supply chain. After the assault (http://gizmodo.com/5474160/investigate-apples-chinese-supply-chain-get-assaulted), the arson (http://gizmodo.com/5476446/foxconn-workers-dont-get-mad-they-get-even-by-burning-their-factory-down), and the poisonings (http://gizmodo.com/5477506/worker-dies-from-n+hexane-poisoning-at-touchscreen-factory-that-also-makes-apples-screens), now Apple's annual supplier report reveals that this year 11 minors were found working in factories that manufacture their products.

The 24-page report is full of bad news. The worst of it: three different factories Apple uses to manufacture parts employed 15 year old workers, 11 minors total, in countries that had a minimum working age of 16.

One word for Apple: Shit

Full Article: here (http://gizmodo.com/5481832/child-workers-discovered-in-apple-factories)

[Kamazar]

Ho-boy. What small, mexican child died for my iPod, I wonder.

[Squirt Reynolds]

Little known fact: small hands are ideal for assembling devices that devour battery life.

[MrSpud]

My parents put me to work on the farm when I was 6, does it mean I was abused?! I wasn't even getting paid, now that I think of it! What's so wrong about 15 years old kids making a few bucks? Sadly, they are way underpaid...

[LBG]

Well this just confirms that Apple is nothing but evil.

http://bbstormwallpapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/EvilApple.jpg

[Hmar9333]

Well this just confirms that Apple is nothing but evil.

http://bbstormwallpapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/EvilApple.jpg
I lol'd

I've been working in my parents bookshop for a while now, I started when I was 12, now I'm still only 14. I do get paid well though, very well... :rolleyes:

[f e a r l e s s]

Ho-boy. What small, mexican child died for my iPod, I wonder.

Apple pruducts are made in China.

[NotYou]

Look at this for what is. The factory managers hired in those kids. Apple likely knew nothing about it.

Also, that article is trying to excite people. A kid in a stroller, really? those kids were 15. I worked in my uncle's factory when I was 14 and it's not like apple is making machine parts in a sweat factory or anything.

All that happened was they hired kids just under the legal age. We're talking about a country that had 13 year olds doing gymnastics in the Olympics, remember? Apple probably has the smallest number of underage workers in China.

[MidianGTX]

Look at this for what is. The factory managers hired in those kids. Apple likely knew nothing about it.

Also, that article is trying to excite people. A kid in a stroller, really? those kids were 15. I worked in my uncle's factory when I was 14 and it's not like apple is making machine parts in a sweat factory or anything.

All that happened was they hired kids just under the legal age. We're talking about a country that had 13 year olds doing gymnastics in the Olympics, remember? Apple probably has the smallest number of underage workers in China.

This. The clothes company I work for got a lot of bad press when evidence of child labor was uncovered in the factories. Truth is we knew nothing about it, we run regular checks and are members of the Ethical Trading Initiative, but the people taking charge in those countries manage to sneak them in regardless. As soon as we found out we took action. Apple isn't bad unless they stand by idly and allow it to happen, which I doubt they're doing.

The sad truth is it's usually the child's parents that are responsible for forcing them into it, poverty calls for desperate measures.

[LBG]

Look at this for what is. The factory managers hired in those kids. Apple likely knew nothing about it.

Also, that article is trying to excite people. A kid in a stroller, really? those kids were 15. I worked in my uncle's factory when I was 14 and it's not like apple is making machine parts in a sweat factory or anything.

All that happened was they hired kids just under the legal age. We're talking about a country that had 13 year olds doing gymnastics in the Olympics, remember? Apple probably has the smallest number of underage workers in China.

Very true, but Apple is still evil :)

[Mr Jack]

Look at this for what is. The factory managers hired in those kids. Apple likely knew nothing about it.

That is, frankly, utterly no excuse. To misquote Mrs Bartlett from the West Wing "if Apple didn't know they were criminally negligent, if they did know they were just criminal".

(Although, in this case, I'm lacking the outrage)

[super6ft7]

Look at this for what is. The factory managers hired in those kids. Apple likely knew nothing about it.
Well, if all companies took that logic, there would be thousands of underaged, underpaid kids in factories. It's not about them hiring them, it's about them condoning or condemning the factories behaviour, by checking who works their

[NotYou]

I wasn't justifying it, I was saying the story is overblown. Chances are Apple fixed it fast. The article is trying make it look like they're hiring 5 year olds to do hard labor.

[Random_Guy]

Works wrong with kids getting a part-time job?

[Bramsey89]

lol @ Apple fanboys trying to excuse child labor.

[f e a r l e s s]

lol @ Apple fanboys trying to excuse child labor.

Child labor? Lol I was hired by the city of Chicago (by Mayor Daley) at the age of 13! Shut up! Also, not a fanboy, True Apple hater, AppStore lover.

[Scottlarsen]

Well, if all companies took that logic, there would be thousands of underaged, underpaid kids in factories. It's not about them hiring them, it's about them condoning or condemning the factories behaviour, by checking who works their

Not sure where to go with this. On the one hand, we condemn child labor. On the other, we are shocked by the amount of children who live in poverty around the world. The world is what it is.

[Skate]

lol @ Apple fanboys trying to excuse child labor.

+1 and epic win.
Somehow.

[squarezero]

Well, if all companies took that logic, there would be thousands of underaged, underpaid kids in factories. It's not about them hiring them, it's about them condoning or condemning the factories behaviour, by checking who works their
There are thousands of underage kids working in factories around the world. And we (I mean people in the developed world) are all complicit. Singling out Apple is just linkbait.

[MidianGTX]

That is, frankly, utterly no excuse. To misquote Mrs Bartlett from the West Wing "if Apple didn't know they were criminally negligent, if they did know they were just criminal".

(Although, in this case, I'm lacking the outrage)

Well, if all companies took that logic, there would be thousands of underaged, underpaid kids in factories. It's not about them hiring them, it's about them condoning or condemning the factories behaviour, by checking who works their

They do check. Lots of people check, how do you think they get found out? There are a load of different organizations that work cooperatively with companies to try and reduce this kind of thing. Not knowing it's happening is, in fact, a pretty good excuse provided they were performing the regular required checks.

+1 and epic win.
Somehow.

You're epic-winning the most fanboy-esque comment I've ever heard from the biggest MS fanboy on the forum? The fact he's putting these comments down to fanboyism is just desperation on his part, it really brings to light just how pathetic his cheap attempts to attack Apple for no reason are. If he seriously thinks that a company like Apple would actively support child labor then he's got a screw missing, or... most screws missing.

[Mindfield]

Lotta FUD going on here. Child labour is typically younger than 12. The country's laws may have 16 as the minimum working age but it's not like it's some kind of panic-inducing travesty to have 15-year-olds working. Christ, the minimum age in Canada is 13. I got my first job at 13, predictably at McDonald's, as to probably half of North America's youth around that age. Big stinking deal. Got me some pocket change (and in those days it was pocket change at a lucrative $5/hr 4 hours a night when I was scheduled) and let me spend my own money. It's not like they have little 8 year olds working heavy machinery or something.

Besides, these are contracted companies. It's not like Apple runs them, or even visits them that often.