Apple hits headlines once again! Just not for what you think.

It has recently been revealed that the workers of the production company, Jabil Circuit, which manufactures the new iPhone 5C, has had their rights ‘flouted’ by the company. The news came in after allegations made by China Labor Watch, a non-profit organization, that workers were required to work 12-hour shifts, six days a week, with only two 30-minute breaks. There has also been claims that female employees were asked to take pregnancy tests; this violates both Chinese laws and the code of practise which Apple has imposed on it suppliers last year.

Although Apple is the only technology company to be a part of the Fair Labor Association, it raises the question, why is this happening again? It was only a year ago when Foxconn’s employees, another manufacturer of Apple products, committed suicide to protest harsh and illegal working conditions and practices.² These practices raise some very questionable business ethics.

In the end, products such as the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPads and alike continue to be sold in large quantities regardless of what is going on in the manufacturing plants. However, we must ask ourselves the real question, why do we still support these companies?

Apple advertising its new iPhone in China. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

Source:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57515968-37/riots-suicides-and-other-issues-in-foxconns-iphone-factories/

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/05/workers-rights-flouted-apple-iphone-plant