Apple urged to intervene for reporters who found bad conditions at Foxconns factories

[zekrahminator]

On June 15th, two reporters, reporter Wang You and editor Weng Bao of China Business News, wrote an article exposing awful conditions at Foxconn's factories. The main purpose of the article was to show Apple that their manufacterer was violating labor code. Apple did an investigation on their own and found that they were indeed violating labor code. Instead of Apple commending the two reporters, Foxconn froze their assets and sued them for 30 million yuan for "smearing its reputation". And so, Reporters Without Borders is taking action by asking Steve Jobs to intervene.
The letter-

Dear Mr. Jobs,

Reporters Without Borders, an organisation that defends press freedom throughout the world, urges you to intercede with your subcontractor in China, the Taiwanese company Foxconn, and get it to drop its lawsuit against reporter Wang You and editor Weng Bao of China Business News (Diyi Jingji Ribao).

These two journalists were responsible for an article on 15 June criticising work conditions at a Foxconn plant. At Foxconn's request, the Shenzen intermediate people's court froze their assets - apartments, bank accounts and cars - on 10 July. Foxconn then brought a lawsuit accusing them of "smearing its reputation" and demanding 30 million yuan (3 millions euros) in damages.

We know that Apple is already aware of this case. After the London-based Daily Mail newspaper ran a story about it on 11 June, your company reacted by investigating conditions at Foxconn's plants and discovered that your supplier had indeed violated several aspects of your code of conduct, including those concerning the length of the working week and days off.

We believe than all Wang and Weng did was report the facts and we condemn Foxconn's reaction. We therefore ask you to intercede on behalf of these two journalists so that their assets are unfrozen and the lawsuit is dropped.

We trust you will give this matter your careful consideration.

Sincerely,

Robert Ménard

Secretary-General.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[newtekie1]

Screw Apple, a reporting group reports that their products are made in sweatshops(Which is 100% true) so Apple sues them instead of fixing the problem? They need to go bankrupt. They are one of the worst computer companies in the industry.

Let take a look at the problem they have had in the last year alone.

1.) Their products were discovered to be made in sweatshops, which Apple had already investigated and given approval to.
2.) They are allowing, and hence approving of, Foxconn's actions without any attempt to address the issues and right the wrongs their subcontractor is doing.
3.) Their brand new notebooks overheat, and it was discovered it was due to what can only be described as incompetence. The overuse of thermal paste, and the leaving of plastic covering the vents during the manufacturing process.
3a.) They later threatened to sue SA, the website hosting the forum where that discovery was made because of they hosted pictures showing the problem...when in reality they didn't even host the pictures.
4.) Their brand new laptops discoloring, and instead of investigating the issue before approving/denying warranty claims they just denied them all. Only to come back a month or two later and admit it was a defect.

They don't deserve to be in business, they are a disgrace to the computer industry. I honestly don't know why their customers put up with their shit.

 

[error_f0rce]

Screw Apple, a reporting group reports that their products are made in sweatshops(Which is 100% true) so Apple sues them instead of fixing the problem? They need to go bankrupt. They are one of the worst computer companies in the industry.

Let take a look at the problem they have had in the last year alone.

1.) Their products were discovered to be made in sweatshops, which Apple had already investigated and given approval to.
2.) Instead of fixing the problem with the sweatshops they waste time sueing the people that reported it.
3.) Their brand new notebooks overheat, and it was discovered it was due to what can only be described as incompetence. The overuse of thermal paste, and the leaving of plastic covering the vents during the manufacturing process.
4.) Their brand new laptops discoloring, and instead of investigating the issue before approving/denying warranty claims they just denied them all. Only to come back a month or two later and admit it was a defect.

They don't deserve to be in business, they are a disgrace to the computer industry. I honestly don't know why their customers put up with their shit.

If you are making a list, add all the faulty laptop batteries they had to recall. They didn't make them, but they obviously never did any extensive quality control testing, so they are to blame in my book for using crappy batteries they didn't test well enough.

You'll have to scrap #2 on the list though, because Apple didn't sue them: "Foxconn froze their assets and sued them for 30 million yuan". It will be interesting to see if Apple chooses to intervene on their behalf... I'm not going to hold my breath though.

 

[v-zero]

The Macbook Pro is a brilliant laptop - the best, I would venture, in the industry. I got one of the infamous expanding batteries, and mine was promptly replced...

Anyway, some of you need to learn to read. Apple are sueing nobody! Foxconn (who I like, but I don't approve of this) are trying to sue them. So shut the fuck up! Every time people who like PC's get a chance to stab at Apple all hell is let loose by those people who don't understand why Mac's are still very popular...

 

[newtekie1]

Foxconn=Apple, Apple approves of all of Foxconn's actions and you better believe if Apple told them to stop they would drop everything in seconds. Apple hasn't so they obviously approve of Foxconn sueing them/freezing their assets. I don't care if it is really Apple or just one of Apple's many partners, Apple has all the power in the world to stop this and they haven't, so they are just as much to blame.

As for the batteries, I don't blame Apple for that, it was Sony's fault entirely since they made the batteries. Though I really have to question the ethics and conflicts of interest that Apple(and Dell, I have to be fair here apparently or the Apple fanboy will freak out) ignored when buying laptop batteries from a company that directly competes with them in the laptop market.

Though I really have to wonder if the issue really is Sony's, of if it isn't the fact that Apple's machines put the battiers in conditions they were never meant to be in(extreme heat due to the laptops tendency to overheat). Who knows really, but that is just my theory as to the problems.

As for the Macbook Pro being the best laptop in the industy. I did buy one, and promptly returned it within a week. I was not happy at all with it. The terrible video card performance and heat issues annoyed the crap out of me, and the terrible quality control of Apple didn't help. My eject key was screwed up, it wouldn't lay flat with the rest of the keyboard. When talking to Apple about the issue they said they get that complaint alot, I can RMA the laptop but there is a good chance I will get another one with the same problem. Which is when I told them I just wanted a refund.

There are better laptops out there for the same amount of money or actually less.

And it isn't an issue of me liking PCs so I bash Apple, I used to like both and still own and use a Mac. However, now it is an issue of me not liking Apple as a company for several of the reasons listed above. You better believe that if any PC manufactures tried to pull that shit Apple fanboys like you would be all over them about it. So you need to shut the fuck up if you don't know what you are talking about.

 

[v-zero]

I have never, and will never be an "Apple Fanboy". However, Apple does not equal Foxconn. Foxconn are 10x (if not more) the size of Apple, and are a far richer company.
MS, Apple, Asus, MSI, Alienware, Dell, HP, Sony, Toshiba - they all use parts made by Foxconn. As for your problems with the Macbook Pro. I can only say that I have suffered no such problems myself, and that for the price, size and usability the Macbook offers out of the box it has become irreplaceable for me.
So maybe the Macbook Pro isn't always the best (btw, the video card performs well for me), but before they moved to Intel I really wouldn't have considered a Mac (de-standardizing their hardware from PC's was what made me dislike teh idea). So I am a heavy (5 PC's) PC user, with one Mac, and I have never been as happy with a Laptop. I hate the idea of Desktop-Replacement, so I don't need those desktop-in-a-box laptops...

I build PC's for a living, I love the PC - don't doubt that. I'm just sick of people hating on Apple for no goos reason.

 

[newtekie1]

I listed 4 good reasons, 5 if you really wanted to count the battery issue, 6 if you wanted to count the fact that their hardware is all overpriced for what you get, 7 if you hate their retarded smear campain ads against PCs.

And Foxconn is not bigger then Apple, the Nasdaq puts Foxconn's market value at about $21 Billion, it puts Apple's at about $57 Billion. Just because they have their hands in more things then Apple does, doesn't mean they are a bigger company.

Do you honestly believe that if Apple told Foxconn to stop this instant Foxconn wouldn't?

 

[v-zero]

1.) Their products were discovered to be made in sweatshops, which Apple had already investigated and given approval to.
2.) Instead of fixing the problem with the sweatshops they waste time sueing the people that reported it.
3.) Their brand new notebooks overheat, and it was discovered it was due to what can only be described as incompetence. The overuse of thermal paste, and the leaving of plastic covering the vents during the manufacturing process.
4.) Their brand new laptops discoloring, and instead of investigating the issue before approving/denying warranty claims they just denied them all. Only to come back a month or two later and admit it was a defect.

1. Apple did not directly check these "sweatshops" themselves, but instead trusted Foxconn... Further more, "sweatshop" is bandied around too much these days - lots of Taiwanese and Chinese manufacturers would be found doing the same... This does not excuse it, but does help put it into soem context...

2. Apple sued nobody, not even people who are pirating OS X...

3. Some of the early Macbooks overheated, mine was fine, and most/all have been since. Many new lines have teething problems (e.g. Dell's 30" display).

4. Yes they were late to the party there, but they did stick to their warranty in the end. And since this was not a defect in teh function of the device, some delay is acceptable.

What is more, they have been swift to replace batteries without fuss, and have made attempts to improve all QC at the factories.

So, what you call four good reasons, I would call two non-reasons, and two over-hyped mishaps, mishaps are bound to happen with a major product launch with new hardware...

 

[cdawall]

hey im sry to say this but apple has gotten lazy when it comes to both dseign and overall quality i mean the laptops discolor the batteries are bad (though so are dells) and they are moving to intel cpus so you know what i think apple will just stop being a mac and become a pc because they cant keep up its just going to be a vid editing biased computer company and thats all that will become of this im sry to say mac will pro not last to much longer i mean think about you can put windows on you mac whats next no more OS X though i want to know why if you can put windows on macs intel boards why you cant put os x on some newer pcs i think if the did that they would save there arse right there because os x just blows xp away by comparison (if you discredit the lower number of programs that run on it) plus it just looks better

BTW OS X (great program )

 

[newtekie1]

1. Apple did not directly check these "sweatshops" themselves, but instead trusted Foxconn... Further more, "sweatshop" is bandied around too much these days - lots of Taiwanese and Chinese manufacturers would be found doing the same... This does not excuse it, but does help put it into soem context...

2. Apple sued nobody, not even people who are pirating OS X...

3. Some of the early Macbooks overheated, mine was fine, and most/all have been since. Many new lines have teething problems (e.g. Dell's 30" display).

4. Yes they were late to the party there, but they did stick to their warranty in the end. And since this was not a defect in teh function of the device, some delay is acceptable.

What is more, they have been swift to replace batteries without fuss, and have made attempts to improve all QC at the factories.

So, what you call four good reasons, I would call two non-reasons, and two over-hyped mishaps, mishaps are bound to happen with a major product launch with new hardware...

1.) Yes they did, they visitted the manufacturing plants previously and approved of the methods used. They did this before any of the sweatshop business even was discovered by the rest of the world.

http://www.chinacsr.com/2006/06/26/foxconn-admits-breaking-labor-laws-in-china/

I just point out the important:

Li also says Apple has sent a special team to investigate, but has found no problem with Foxconn.

2.) They are doing nothing to stop it or even address it, so they are just as much to blame as Foxconn. If you really must change this one to "They are allowing, and hence approving of, Foxconn's actions without any attempt to address the issues and right the wrongs their subcontractor is doing."

3.) The Macbooks shipping out still have overheating problems due to Apples refusal to fix the way they apply thermal paste or fix the page in the service manual that says to use an entire tube of thermal paste for each thermal area(CPU/Chipset/GPU), that is three tubes per computer!

3a.) They later then threatened to sue SA, the website hosting the forum where that discovery was made because of they hosted pictures showing the problem...when in reality they didn't even host the pictures.

4.) It isn't even a matter of sticking to the warranty or fixing it eventually. They flat out denied peoples warranty claims at first and said it wasn't a defect(liars) that it was cause by improper care of the laptops. If they would have investigated the issue first and then denied or approve the claims I wouldn't have a problem. Instead they just denied hundreds of people's claims only to later admit they were wrong. Something tells me they didn't make it a priority to contact all the people who already put in claims to make sure they know the problem is now covered under warranty. Something tells me there are still a large number of people out there with screwed up faded Macbooks that think there is nothing to do about it.

 

[zekrahminator]

What have I done, starting a fight about Apple and Foxconn :shadedshu .

 

[cdawall]

What have I done, starting a fight about Apple and Foxconn :shadedshu .

lol poor you man every time som1 posts about apple it starts WWIII

 

[g12rxz]

Another petty fight... who will walk away and leave, and who will get banned?

 

[POGE]

Wang You is my favorite reporter.

 

[oldschool]

One more very good reason to not buy products from any company that uses sweatshop labor.

 

[wazzledoozle]

Anything made in China, by US standards, would be sweatshop labor.]

I am surprised that this is news to anyone.

 

[b1lk1]

I am surprised that:

1. The Chinese government allowed this to be published worldwide

2. That the Chinese government didn't immediately snuff out these journalists

3. That anyone is surprised what the Communist country of China allows for labor. Remember people, China is communist, not a democracy.

4. Oh yeah, Pcs are great apple is the.............

 

[v-zero]

Oh FFS, I've decided to give up on the Apple don't = Foxonn battle. Some people will form these opinions for what I see as no good reasons, I will live with it.

But b1lk1, you sound like some WW2 vet.

Ohh Communism is evil, ooh so evil!

No it's not, and the Chinese government get more liberal every year (I would like them to turn to democracy, which they inevitabely will), and this is a sign of some hope.

So FFS, the communist party in China are NOT Hitler's Nazi party.

 

[b1lk1]

Where did I say Communism is evil? It is totalitarian and does not offer it's citizens much free will. The goverment does bad things to it's people. I see little chance of them converting in our lifetime. Why should they, is your form of government any better? Is mine? And if you think China is becoming liberal, you need to go back to school and start reading up on world politics and policies again. I am entitled to my views without having to be judged by you. Sometimes, it is best to not comment when you have nothing positive to add. My comments were not derogatory, they were part humor and part sad truth.

 

[v-zero]

I studied the last 100 years of Chinese rule in close detail for History, so don't tell me what I do and don not know about Chinese and world politics. It is a fact that China have moved to a ar less Marxist form of Communism of late, it is a commercial and strong country. They are far more liberal than they were just ten years ago, and trade relatons have globally improved.

I believe it is likely there will be a democratic revolution in China in the next ten-to-fifteen years, likely to coincide with the US's fall from grace as a Superpower.

 

[newtekie1]

I have to agree, China is certainly not as bad as some of you make it out to be.

And yes, most of the factory work over there is what people in the US would consider sweatshop labor, however what Foxconn did would be considered sweatshop labor even by Chineses standards.

There is something to the fact that they are in a country that is perfectly fine with what we would consider sweatshops and that country is even calling what they do a sweatshop.

Yes, my original blaming of this totally on apple was not totally accurate, however I still hold to my beliefs that if Apple wanted to they could stop this in a second flat. So they are just as much to blame as Foxconn is.

 

[cdawall]

hey you'll no what i just realized no matter how nice a group of commis is they are still commis not a democracy so :shadedshu china

 

[b1lk1]

And here is just a little taste of how "civilized" they are too:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14139027/

To me, this speaks volumes as to what kind of government they have, and I have spoken to many people that have actually visited China and have heard similar stories. Keep up the reading though, books are always right.......