Only Escape From Hellish Apple iPhone Factory Was Suicide(dailytech.com)
dailytech.com
Only Escape From Hellish Apple iPhone Factory Was Suicide
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=18428
15 comments
Yes when someone did the math last time around Foxconn's suicide rate ended up being lower than China's by about 60% IIRC
And we still complain that these devices are up market?
Yes, there is probably a good margin, as Apple beats some of the largest companies in the world in market cap, but what does it say about American (world?) culture that we demand awesome products at affordable prices that would lead companies to do this to keep their profit margins?
Maybe, just maybe, we ask for too much sometimes. I was taking a flight to NYC from Austin last week on JetBlue. They had DirectTV satellite, and XM radio. I was ashamed that I found myself thinking, "What, no WiFi?"
Yes, there is probably a good margin, as Apple beats some of the largest companies in the world in market cap, but what does it say about American (world?) culture that we demand awesome products at affordable prices that would lead companies to do this to keep their profit margins?
Maybe, just maybe, we ask for too much sometimes. I was taking a flight to NYC from Austin last week on JetBlue. They had DirectTV satellite, and XM radio. I was ashamed that I found myself thinking, "What, no WiFi?"
The article doesn't have any actual hard facts regarding the hellish conditions. For instance:
"According to Liu, the plant makes employees work around the clock, only pausing briefly to eat or sleep."
How long exactly is "briefly"? 3 hours or maybe 7? We aren't told.
The article also doesn't say why these 300k people don't quit. Is it that there are no better jobs available to them?
"According to Liu, the plant makes employees work around the clock, only pausing briefly to eat or sleep."
How long exactly is "briefly"? 3 hours or maybe 7? We aren't told.
The article also doesn't say why these 300k people don't quit. Is it that there are no better jobs available to them?
Well. China's suicide rate is 13 per 100,000 (1999 figures)[1].
So, in a plant of 400,000 over a four month period they should expect 17 suicides. A rate of 7, then, seems "good".
Bunk article.
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_the_Peoples_Republic...
EDIT: Wolfram Alpha claims estimated figures for 2002 were 21 per 100,000. But i am not sure how much to believe it. http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=china+suicide
So, in a plant of 400,000 over a four month period they should expect 17 suicides. A rate of 7, then, seems "good".
Bunk article.
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_the_Peoples_Republic...
EDIT: Wolfram Alpha claims estimated figures for 2002 were 21 per 100,000. But i am not sure how much to believe it. http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=china+suicide
http://www.dailytech.com/Apple+Reveals+Child+Labor+was+Used+...
That Apple independently investigated this and is taking some effort to change how their suppliers operate is both impressive and (from my understanding) very unusual in the industry.
Edit: Downmod because why, exactly? Is it bad that Apple is doing this investigation?
That Apple independently investigated this and is taking some effort to change how their suppliers operate is both impressive and (from my understanding) very unusual in the industry.
Edit: Downmod because why, exactly? Is it bad that Apple is doing this investigation?
I find this article difficult to believe re the wage. 900 yuan is a very difficult wage to live on in Shenzhen, and I doubt that people are leaving their home towns to go and work in shenzhen and just earning 900yuan. Or does this exclude board and food?
does this exclude board and food?
My impression was that it did -- that typically Chinese workers get food and housing in addition to their cash pay -- but I can't find the blog post that told me so, so maybe I'm wrong. I thought it was Bunnie Huang's series on Chinese manufacturing, but I can't find the reference in there.
I live down the street from Lowell, Massachusetts, which in the early 19th century was the Shenzhen of New England. Based on what I know of the history of industrial America, this article sounds really familiar, right down to the company dorms where extremely young workers eat company food and sleep on company beds. This is how factory towns work. AFAIK it's how they have always worked.
My impression was that it did -- that typically Chinese workers get food and housing in addition to their cash pay -- but I can't find the blog post that told me so, so maybe I'm wrong. I thought it was Bunnie Huang's series on Chinese manufacturing, but I can't find the reference in there.
I live down the street from Lowell, Massachusetts, which in the early 19th century was the Shenzhen of New England. Based on what I know of the history of industrial America, this article sounds really familiar, right down to the company dorms where extremely young workers eat company food and sleep on company beds. This is how factory towns work. AFAIK it's how they have always worked.
The engadget article has been written by a real journalist. The dailytech article instead has been written by a person who doesn't know that in "modern" China 100% of factories are like Foxconn.
It's just another pathetic way to attack Apple. "Only Escape From _Hellish Apple iPhone Factory_ Was Suicide". Oh come on. Foxconn is the largest manufacturer of electronics and computer components worldwide and they don't make just iDevices. According to Wikipedia Foxconn make these products:
1) Mac mini, iPod, iPad, and the iPhone for Apple 2) Intel-branded motherboards for Intel 3) various orders for Dell and Hewlett-Packard 4) motherboards for Zoostorm 5) PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 for Sony 6) Wii for Nintendo 7) Xbox 360 for Microsoft 8) cell phones for Motorola 9) Amazon Kindle 10) Cisco equipment
It's a news only cause it's cool to attack Apple. I bet you to find a single electronics product around you that isn't "Made in China". And we all know that work conditions in China are terrible and what has happened in the last 30 years.
It's not a 2010 news.
It's just another pathetic way to attack Apple. "Only Escape From _Hellish Apple iPhone Factory_ Was Suicide". Oh come on. Foxconn is the largest manufacturer of electronics and computer components worldwide and they don't make just iDevices. According to Wikipedia Foxconn make these products:
1) Mac mini, iPod, iPad, and the iPhone for Apple 2) Intel-branded motherboards for Intel 3) various orders for Dell and Hewlett-Packard 4) motherboards for Zoostorm 5) PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 for Sony 6) Wii for Nintendo 7) Xbox 360 for Microsoft 8) cell phones for Motorola 9) Amazon Kindle 10) Cisco equipment
It's a news only cause it's cool to attack Apple. I bet you to find a single electronics product around you that isn't "Made in China". And we all know that work conditions in China are terrible and what has happened in the last 30 years.
It's not a 2010 news.
"given workers dummies to beat on to vent their rage"
Common wisdom says that this physical activity releases or "vents" your anger, but it actually works you up more. Sustained physical exercise, like walking for a while, can calm you down, though.
Common wisdom says that this physical activity releases or "vents" your anger, but it actually works you up more. Sustained physical exercise, like walking for a while, can calm you down, though.
"Foxconn's Shenzen plant that builds Apple's iPads, iPods, and iPhones has 400,000 employees"
I can not even imagine what a plant like that looks like. Also, how much stuff does Apple sell? Or are these just really slow workers? Even if they could only manufacture one item per employee per day, it would seem like a lot of items to sell.
I can not even imagine what a plant like that looks like. Also, how much stuff does Apple sell? Or are these just really slow workers? Even if they could only manufacture one item per employee per day, it would seem like a lot of items to sell.
Some maps and photos after the jump:
http://www.pmptoday.com/2007/08/13/apple-ipod-iphone-manufac...
"Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Shenzhen is a walled factory city of 270,000 Hon Hai (Foxconn) employees. They have everything from a hospital, fire station, swimming pool, athletic field a separate area for the basketball courts and even a bookstore (see pictures below). Besides Apple iPods and iPhones, Hon Hai workers/residents make Dell and Hewlett Packard PCs, Motorola and Nokia cell phones, Sony PlayStation 2 and PSP and the Nintendo Wii."
http://www.pmptoday.com/2007/08/13/apple-ipod-iphone-manufac...
"Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Shenzhen is a walled factory city of 270,000 Hon Hai (Foxconn) employees. They have everything from a hospital, fire station, swimming pool, athletic field a separate area for the basketball courts and even a bookstore (see pictures below). Besides Apple iPods and iPhones, Hon Hai workers/residents make Dell and Hewlett Packard PCs, Motorola and Nokia cell phones, Sony PlayStation 2 and PSP and the Nintendo Wii."
I'm guessing they build a bunch of other stuff in addition to the iPhones and iPods.
Apple isn't their only customer.
Funny, the Engadget insider story indicated that Foxconn is not nearly as hellish as people have assumed given the suicides, etc.
In the original discussion someone pointed out that Foxconn has around 300000 employees. That's quite a lot of people, and statistically, you will have the same problems as you would in a town of that size.