We have all heard about the poor working conditions within China. Apple’s iPhone factories are no exception to this. “Working excessive overtime without a single day off during the week, living together in crowded dormitories and standing so long that their legs swell and they can hardly walk after a 24-hour shift.” This is how Mark Duell of Mail Online would describe the conditions facing the workers in the Foxconn manufacturing facility.
Two fatal explosions occurred last year due to a build up of aluminium dust killing 4 and injuring over 75 as well as 140 workers were injured while using a poisonous glass cleaner to clean iPhone screens. In addition 18 workers attempted to commit suicide within two years while working for Foxconn.
Above is a photo of nets to prevent workers from jumping to their deaths outside one of the Foxconn factory buildings in the township of Longhua.
I believe that these conditions are unreasonable and should be drastically improved. When you look at the apple product in your hand, chances are you are not thinking of how it got there. The poor working conditions give me an amazing product but does that sound right? Is the product worth all the hardship the employees have to go through?
When put into the context above it may be hard to answer but when put on the shelves, all the background information seems to disappear.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2092277/Apple-Poor-working-conditions-inside-Chinese-factories-making-iPads.html
Image: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/01/26/article-2092277-117966E4000005DC-774_634x462.jpg