Apple CEO Tim Cook says he is “ outraged ” by a serial publication ofNew York Timesreports allege worker mistreatment and disuse at Chinese factory that assemble the company ’s iPhones , iPads , and other devices .
The New York Times has paint an unflattering portrait of Apple ’s provision concatenation .
“ We like about every worker in our worldwide supplying chain , ” Cook said in an email to Apple employees , bring out Thursday at 9to5mac.com . “ Any accident is deeply worrying , and any publication with workings condition is grounds for worry . Any suggestion that we do n’t care is patently false and offensive to us . As you make love considerably than anyone , accusations like these are obstinate to our economic value . It ’s not who we are . ”
The New York Times has painted an unflattering portrait of Apple’s supply chain.
TheTimeshas paint an uncomplimentary scene of Apple ’s China operations in its “ iEconomy ” series of reports this hebdomad , initially depicting“Foxconn City”—a Taiwanese manufacturing hub named for thecontractorthat builds Apple ’s iOS equipment among other electronic gadgets — as a fellowship townspeople where employee hold up in barrack and body of work 12 - hour displacement , six days a week , for less than $ 17 a sidereal day . One anecdote depicted employee being charge in the midriff of the night , given a biscuit and tea leaf , then put to the task of lay young glass silver screen on iPhones . ( China - base Foxconn is owner of some of the world ’s biggest factories andis described by theTimesas “ China ’s export political machine . ” )
But it wasWednesday ’s storey — with a newspaper headline suggest that “ human price are built into an iPad ” that apparently aroused Cook ’s ire .
The narration suggested that worker wellness was routinely ignore in China , with employee exposed to toxins and injured in a pair of explosion . The newspaper publisher summarized : “ Employees work excessive overtime , in some cases seven days a week , and live on in crowded dorm . Some say they stick out so long that their legs swell until they can hardly walk . Under - long time workers have helped build Apple ’s product , and the ship’s company ’s supplier have improperly discard of hazardous waste and falsified records , concord to company reports and advocacy groups that , within China , are often considered reliable , main monitors . ”
In its tarradiddle , the paper said Apple reject to comment on the allegation despite being provide “ extensive summaries ” of theTimes ’ reporting .
Allegations of human rightfield abuse at its China suppliers have dogged Apple in recent year . In response , the company has join theFair Labor Associationand created its own annualSupplier Responsibility Progress Reportto written document such problems at 156 of its provider — covering 97 percent of its supply mountain range — and efforts to correct them . The latest news report , released in the first place this month , recognise that nonaged actor had been found in several manufactory , but also elaborate exploit to forbid a repeat of the deadly burst that drink down four Chinese worker . The society says it has trained more than 1 million workers at its suppliers in Apple ’s codification of embodied conduct .
“ Every year we audit more factories , raising the bar for our cooperator and blend deeper into the supply mountain range , ” Cook say in his email to Apple employees . “ As we report earlier this month , we ’ve made a peachy deal of progress and improved conditions for hundreds of thousands of workers . We know of no one in our manufacture doing as much as we are , in as many places , touch as many the great unwashed . ”
TheTimesacknowledged those audit in its reporting , but suggested the audits produced fiddling action . ” Apple has find usurpation in hundreds of audited account , but few than 15 supplier have been terminated for transgressions since 2007 , according to former Apple executive . ”
TheTimesseries comes in what should otherwise be a good calendar week for Apple . The companyon Tuesday reporteda net profit of $ 13.06 billion on sales of $ 46.33 billion for the first fiscal poop of 2012 .
“ We are focalise on educating prole about their rights , so they are empowered to speak up when they see unsafe term or unjust treatment , ” wrote Cook , who help as Apple ’s chief operating officer and oversaw its supply chain prior to becoming the company ’s chief executive officer . “ We will continue to dig deeply , and we will undoubtedly find more issues . What we will not do — and never have done — is put up still or turn a unreasoning eye to problems in our supply mountain range . ”
