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Apple to Contribute Toward Costs of Improving Working Conditions at Foxconn Facilities
Reuters reports on comments from Foxconn chief Terry Gou, who claims that Apple and Foxconn will be splitting the initial costs to improve working conditions at Foxconn's facilities in China.
Foxconn workers assembling iPads (Source: Rob Schmitz/Marketplace)
Foxconn has raised wages several times over the past couple of years as it has faced scrutiny over the treatment of its employees. And following a series of audits, Foxconn and the Fair Labor Association reached an agreement in late March to reduce overtime while boosting compensation packages to compensate for the reduction in hours.
It is unclear how much the actions are costing Apple and Foxconn and how the costs are being split, but with Foxconn operating on a very slim profit margin it has limited ability to finance such improvements without raising costs for its customers or receiving direct support from Apple to assist with the changes.
"We've discovered that this (improving factory conditions) is not a cost. It is a competitive strength," Gou told reporters on Thursday after the ground-breaking ceremony for a new China headquarters in Shanghai.
"I believe Apple sees this as a competitive strength along with us, and so we will split the initial costs."
It was unclear if the split would be 50/50 or in some other ratio.
Foxconn workers assembling iPads (Source: Rob Schmitz/Marketplace)
Foxconn has raised wages several times over the past couple of years as it has faced scrutiny over the treatment of its employees. And following a series of audits, Foxconn and the Fair Labor Association reached an agreement in late March to reduce overtime while boosting compensation packages to compensate for the reduction in hours.
It is unclear how much the actions are costing Apple and Foxconn and how the costs are being split, but with Foxconn operating on a very slim profit margin it has limited ability to finance such improvements without raising costs for its customers or receiving direct support from Apple to assist with the changes.
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37 months ago
Non-rhetorical question: Why does Apple not just buy Foxconn? Apple could buy Foxconn, strengthen its supply chain, stop paying the Foxconn profit margin, and prevent Foxconn from being a manufacturer for rivals. Maybe I'm overlooking something obvious.
Foxconn is huge and has many other clients.
It would be like someone buying the entire McDonalds corporation just to make and sell the french fries.
37 months ago
I still don't understand why people are spitting venom at Apple in regards to their factories when there are other factories far far worse.
37 months ago
I still don't understand why people are spitting venom at Apple in regards to their factories when there are other factories far far worse.
people are jealous of their record profit.
37 months ago
Nice touch, considering Apple didn't HAVE to do this.
Seems like Apple's influence (even if it is being 'forced' by negative press) is having a positive effect on the local workforce & working conditions. I guess that shows the real benefit of being there; rather than avoiding countries with - to Western viewers - negative, oppressive work practices.
Seems like Apple's influence (even if it is being 'forced' by negative press) is having a positive effect on the local workforce & working conditions. I guess that shows the real benefit of being there; rather than avoiding countries with - to Western viewers - negative, oppressive work practices.
37 months ago
Labor costs are the least of it. There is a huge money laundering racket going on that keeps Apple (and others) from paying US and state taxes. In addition, huge amounts of money is stashed in off-shore banks waiting for a president who will give them a "tax holiday".
This is much more a factor than the few minutes (if that) of labor needed to assemble some robot-made components at Foxcon.
Also, the real abuses take place in the companies that supply Foxcon with components. From mining to making little parts, those companies are hardly regulated at all.
A company has no obligation to pay higher taxes, just as you don't. I take every tax break the US tax code allows me to take. Why should a company not do the exact same thing?
37 months ago
Not to blindly defend Apple, or to over-simplify the situation, but I'm trying to wrap my head around the problem itself. Let me pose this hypothetical situation:
Let's say, for instance, you're a little local construction company. You build sheds that sell rather well. You buy your supplies at Home Depot or Lowes. When you're getting your supplies, you notice that the store seems sorta run down and the people seem upset and make a really low wage.
Now is it your responsibility to go out of your way and spend your money to improve their wages or conditions? You're already a customer and pay your invoices on time. Doesn't it behoove the company to use their income to improve their workforce's conditions/wages?
Personally, regardless of how much cash Apple has on hand, I don't see why it's Apple's responsibility to improve Foxconn conditions. At the end of the day, they're just another Foxconn customer. No more, no less. If Apple owned a substanital financial stake in the company, that might be different, though I doubt that's the case. Sure, there might be a moral obligation, but no more so than any of Foxconn's other customers. But you don't hear about them being at fault or contributing.
That being said, it really does appear to me that Apple's being raked over to coals simply because they have more money and they're a higher profile customer.
Let's say, for instance, you're a little local construction company. You build sheds that sell rather well. You buy your supplies at Home Depot or Lowes. When you're getting your supplies, you notice that the store seems sorta run down and the people seem upset and make a really low wage.
Now is it your responsibility to go out of your way and spend your money to improve their wages or conditions? You're already a customer and pay your invoices on time. Doesn't it behoove the company to use their income to improve their workforce's conditions/wages?
Personally, regardless of how much cash Apple has on hand, I don't see why it's Apple's responsibility to improve Foxconn conditions. At the end of the day, they're just another Foxconn customer. No more, no less. If Apple owned a substanital financial stake in the company, that might be different, though I doubt that's the case. Sure, there might be a moral obligation, but no more so than any of Foxconn's other customers. But you don't hear about them being at fault or contributing.
That being said, it really does appear to me that Apple's being raked over to coals simply because they have more money and they're a higher profile customer.
37 months ago
When you make 35% + margin and have billions in cash and aren't doing anything with it, especially when your home country is experiencing terrible unemployment, why wouldn't Apple decide to produce these products here in the USA? People already pay way to much for Apple products and Apples margins are already padded enough to where they could cover it with little increase in price. I mean a 25% margin is still way above everyone else at that point.
Try telling that to an investor. Apple has a responsibility to maximise shareholder value above almost everything else. Also wiser men than me have said even if Apple did want to move manufacturing back to the US it wouldn't be able to. The manufacturing expertise just doesn't exist here to get the job done, because all of these jobs have been sent overseas for so long now.
37 months ago
Because Apple agreed to be their client. It's kinda like being friends with a guy who beats his wife. There are probably many other companies that could supply the parts Apple needs that treats its employees better. Sure, it may cost a bit more, but a better reputation may be worth it. Plus, with Apple's halo effect, many people will still pay for Apple products regardless of price.
Because China needs to be responsible for its own mess, not someone else. If some some Chinese man is beating his wife, don't call Apple, the local police will do fine.
37 months ago
Some of you guys are hilarious.
If you want "good" to be done, get out your checkbooks and make it so. Personally, I don't invest in a company and expect the tree-huggers and whale-savers to spend my money without some kind of a return. I'll decide charity on my own - like it should be.
Blame China for Foxconn's problems.
If you want "good" to be done, get out your checkbooks and make it so. Personally, I don't invest in a company and expect the tree-huggers and whale-savers to spend my money without some kind of a return. I'll decide charity on my own - like it should be.
Blame China for Foxconn's problems.
37 months ago
I still don't understand why people are spitting venom at Apple in regards to their factories when there are other factories far far worse.
Because Samsung, Sony, HP, or any other electronic manufacturer that uses Foxconn isn't Apple and the press and the holier-than-thou know-it-alls who have railed against these conditions care less about the employees than they do about giving Apple a black eye and all of the attention that garners. If they actually cared they would be paying attention to all of the people stating that Apple's Foxconn plants might not be perfect, but they are so much better than the plants that make product for the rest of the tech industry.
The Joy of Tech nailed this one spot on with http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/1684.html
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