Since January, Apple’s supply chain laborforce has jumped from 84% compliance with overtime standards to 95%, according to this month’s Supplier Responsibility report. Apple is also reporting that they’re now monitoring 800,000 workers, which is up from 500,000 previously. This follows on the Fair Labor Association’s report issued just a few short weeks ago claiming that excess overtime was a big problem at Foxconn’s production facilities. Apple has pledged that they’ll maintain income levels for employees who are limited within the 60-hour work week, but many laborers doubt that they’ll walk away with the same amount of money while working fewer hours.
Beyond overtime issues, Apple faces scrutiny over using underage workers to build iPhones and iPads. The average age is a relatively low 23 years, with between 3.6% and 5.5% aged 16 to 18, according to the FLA audit. On other fronts, Apple is getting flak for energy efficiency in their data centers, though they have been aggressively defending their eco-friendliness.
In any case, good on Apple for increasing overtime compliance so quickly. Foxconn is on a hiring spree, which should make up for the lost overtime hours and hopefully provide employees enough time to, y’know, sleep.
Source: TNW
No comments:
Post a Comment