Apple has implemented improved reservation procedures and policies for employees dealing with the iPhone 6 launch today at retail stores, but the launch at the company’s Hong Kong store hasn’t gone quite as smooth as elsewhere. The store was hit by protesters from the Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) and also required police to help disperse customers that had waited in line without reservations.
SACOM protested outside Apple’s Hong Kong stores with the banner pictured above reading, “iSlave, Harsher than Harsher, Still made in sweatshops.” To go along with the protest today, SACOM has also published a new report titled “The Lives of iSlaves” that reveals recent findings from an almost 1-year long investigation of three factories run by Apple’s manufacturing partner Pegatron. SACOM says its key findings include various infractions related to labor laws at the facilities:
– No single day off for 2.5 months: Workers work up to 10 weeks without any rest day during peak season and they often work for 12-15 hours a day and sometimes up to 17-18 hours;
– No protective equipment: Workers in hazardous positions are not provided with adequate and effective protective measures. There are cases of worker fainting in the production lines;
– Illegal charges for health checks: Workers have to pay their own health checks during recruitment which should be paid by employer;
– Difficult resignation: If workers would like to resign, they have to wait for a long time in order to get the approval which push them to leave without official documentation and losing at least 15 days of wages; and
– High Proportion of Dispatch workers: who form the majority in the workforce which violates the regulation that dispatch workers should not exceed 10 percent of the total workforce. Pegatron avoids regular employment benefits such as social insurance and potential legal responsibility if there is any labour dispute by hiring large amount of dispatch workers.
SACOM has accused Apple several times of various violations at its suppliers, while another recent report from non-profit organization Green America and industry watchdog China Labor Watch accused Apple of various violations of labor laws at one of its other suppliers in the country. Apple regularly performs its own audits of suppliers and also had third-party audits conducted by the Fair Labor Association.
While SACOM protested outside the Apple stores and hung the banners pictured above, it doesn’t appear the group interfered with customers attempting to purchase the device from Apple. The Hong Kong store doesn’t allow any walk-in orders on launch day, which is thought to help combat devices being purchased and sold into China, but local reports still note many of the iPhone are being resold immediately outside the store at a premium: Many of the new models were resold immediately, right outside the store. Sellers waited around, while buyers – many from the mainland – flocked to them offering high prices. South China Morning Post also reports that police were called in to help deal with angry line sitters that were unaware they needed a reservation.
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lol. Seriously? They protest Apple but not Foxconn and the Chinese government? Wow. That’s just pathetic.
Indeed they could grab Pegatron and Foxconn as in fact it is their own facilities, just contracted with Apple, so they should bear the majority of responsibility
Playing devils advocate her but I could see why they might target a huge Apple launch. Apple is a large percentage of these companies business. These people are making Apple products in less then optimal working conditions. As a a major customer, Apple can put pressure on these companies to Improve working conditions and wages. Like they already have, more work needs to be done though.
i like that approach simply because it can cause a change (as it has before). the foxcon’s probably wouldn’t budge/buckle as easily as the companies that utilize them would.
Nah, you’re not a devil’s advocate, my friend :) But I honestly think the only pressure Apple can put on them is to invest its own plants (or others) elsewhere, e.g. North America (that would be amazing). If Apple and other tech companies aren’t looking for an alternative, Foxconn and Pegatron can pretty much do whatever they want. The fact that their facilities are in China is also not helping the situation. I do hope this kind of protests can make Apple and others find a real solution, i.e. move away from these Chinese plants.
I agree, I also do like that apple is at least discussing the matter and attempting change. These protests are a very good thing, they show there is still work to be done. As much as I am looking forward to my new phone, I do not want another to be harmed in its production. As others have said, the system itself is a problem, and endemic of the environment fostered by the government in China itself (it’s regulators). I hope as long as there is a problem these protests continue, and Apple continues to place greater pressure on their supply chain for accountability and reform.
Protesting the apple gives the issue an international presence. Sure protesting the factories of the respective government would help, but with the amount of press coverage Apple has abs will be receiving over the next coul months, it’s much more beneficial to their cause to protest Apple as it would raise the most awareness and help their cause gain more support. So not, it’s pathetic, it’s actually pretty smart, unlike you.
Yeah, I’m not smart. I’m a total dumbass. But don’t worry, I do get why they did what they did, and that’s why I said pathetic ;) Everyone can have his or her own opinion and I respect yours. Too bad that you don’t respect mine. It is a real tragedy.
^ perfect example about how irrelevant personal attacks ruin a generally well-spoken and thought-out response.
Why not begin with the company that has the most exposition.
I’m waiting for them doing the same for Samsung though.
Their working conditions indeed look like slavery.
They just pick whoever the easiest to protest.
From the picture shown, those Chinese writing on the banner seems to be mainland china’s grammar, and most (I mean most) of this type of protests are paid actors by some “unknown” agencies.
Nothing to see here, move along.
I think you’re right. the signs are very well made lol.
They are from Hong Kong, that’s not a secret.
U must be joking. Those banners and the appearances of those people clearly indicate they are from HongKong. Nowadays, young people in HongKong love to do all kinds of protests to show they are different, they have unique thoughts. But I agree with you that “Nothing to see here, move along.”
This smacks strongly of Chinese rent a mob as par of the ongoing intimidation of Apple to pay higher kickbacks to the Communist Party in China before they will deliver approval.
That is terrific and all, but Foxconn is it’s own privately owned electronics contractor. Foxconn is also not the only crappy place to work in China. Places like that are all over there, and in countries all over the world as well. They also do work for Sony, Microsoft, and Amazon as well. The working conditions did not change from one contracted job to the next.
They people are media-hoarding. That’s it. They are full aware that Apple is a leader in terms of dramatically improving workplace standards. I doubt that works would be _forced_ to work 10 weeks without a day off. More likely, they are choosing to surrender their days off for the extra money.
I wonder how many of those protesters have an iPhone in their pocket? I wonder how many have a Samsung? Those would be interesting tidbits of info.
Why does the type of phone the may have seem relevant to you?
Oh, because “Apple awesome, Samsung bad” is all you know?
Sheep.
Get back to work, I still don’t have my 6 Plus.