Judging The Apple 'Sweatshop' Charge

jurgen writes "MacWorld summarizes an article published in the U.K., stating that Apple's iPods are made in China by women who work 15 hours/day, make $50/month, and have to pay half of that right back to the company for housing and food. The article also claims the workers live in dormitories where they are housed 100 per room, and are not allowed visitors." A Wired article looks at the same story, exploring the reliability of the Mail on Sunday's claims. From that article: "The situation is too murky for a rush to judgment on Apple's ethics here, and it may well meet minimum global standards. But for a company that has staked its image on progressive politics, Apple has set itself up as a potential lightning rod on global labor standards. Sweatshops came back to bite Nike after its customers rose up in arms; and Apple can expect a similar grilling from its upscale Volvo-driving fans in the months ahead."

Comments

Re:It's Foxconn, Not Apple

[falcon5768]

its no different than someone saying something is awful because they use thier own fucked up western mentality of whats right in the world when 90% of the world thinks its wrong.

then again we want to change the world when most of the US has the same issues with low wages and poor working conditions, and unlike the chineese economy ours doesnt support people making minimum wage. Maybe if you guys actually focused on the US and fix OUR problems before you delt with other countrys poor working conditions, the US might have one leg to stand on when trying to get other countrys to use our example. Its kinda hard to tell someone else to be moral in their ehtics when you have a lower class who cant even afored rent when most chineese can in their economy.