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Explosion At Foxconn Factory Kills 2, Injures 16
arielCo writes "There are several reports in the news about an explosion in a Foxconn factory in Chengdu that manufactures the iPad 2, killing two workers and injuring another 16. 'The Chengdu Municipal government said the explosion occurred in Foxconn's "polishing plant" at around 7 p.m. Experts say it is likely a cleaning stage at the end of the production process after devices are assembled.' There's a short amateur video of the ensuing fire, taken during the evacuation. Apple said they are working with Foxconn to investigate."
Is this what happens when you make everyone sign no suicide contracts?
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Even the Foxconn buildings are trying to commit suicide now.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
And more importantly, do these martyrs get 72 free downloads from the App Store(tm)...
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
The worst thing about this story it that it would probably be unnoticed if it happened at any other factory in china. But now it's Foxconn and iPad 2 so now it's interesting.
It would not cost anywhere near that much extra. Germans still make cars, reasonable priced ones. They have much higher labor rates than even Americans. Paying line workers is just not that big a cost in such an operation. I bet they save more than the labor savings just on being able to dump whatever they want into the environment.
Either way, there is no reason why these products could not be built in China by 40 hour per week, well paid workers in safe working conditions. The ipad 3 might cost a whole $10 extra of you did that.
Capitalism is good at many things, but uplifting workers ain't one of them. The only thing will make apple respond is if it sees a consumer backlash which will pressure the, to allow these workers to form an autonomous union.
---Technology will liberate us if it doesn't enslave us first.
The Ford Focus is a high-end car? Is the Ford Feista a high-end car?
Cars are assembled closer to delivery points so they can be tailored for that market. The VW fox was designed for the South American market and is imported to Europe. Not because it is cheap, the Golf is produced in Germany. This because that is where the factory for them was built, since it was designed for the South American market. Imports to Europe came about after the car was a success in South America.
Apple knows what's going on at Foxconn but still choose to do business with them. Outsourcing your dirty work does not absolve you of responsibility.
Huh. Really? Here in China, they had socialism for fifty years and everyone was dirt-poor. The real kind of socialism, the kind where it was illegal to make profit. Ever since Deng Xiaoping hijacked the people's revolution onto the capitalist road, each year has been better than the last, and it's showing no signs of stopping. Workers work a lot, but get paid a heck of a lot better than back on the farm. The last time I was in a small village, there was construction going on everywhere. New houses being built by money sent home from factory work.
China already has a union for the workers. Didn't you get the memo?
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!