Apple investigating reports of student workers in factories (again)

Apple is investigating reports that one of its parts suppliers is illegally using high school students on its assembly line. Hong Kong-based human rights group Sacom alleges that Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta Computer has been skirting labor laws by...

Apple drops supplier over underage labor violations, hails ‘high compliance’ with reducing excessive work hours

Apple severs relationship with supplier over underage labor violations

Apple's latest Supplier Responsibility Report has just been published, detailing 393 audits focused on the plants and suppliers that help make all that hardware. The audit number is a 72 percent increase in what it covered in its last annual report, while Apple was also quick to highlight its contracting companies' high compliance (92 percent) with a maximum 60-hour work week. Senior vice president of operations Jeff Williams told Reuters that underage workers and limiting working hours were two of the most challenging issues it faced in its supplier audits. Apple decided to end business relations with component maker Guangdong Real Faith Pingzhou Electronics over underage labour issues. "We go deep in the supply chain to find it," said Williams. "And when we do find it, we ensure that the underage workers are taken care of, the suppliers are dealt with."

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Via: AllThingsD, Reuters

Source: Apple

Foxconn admits child labor laws breached by use of underage interns

Foxconn admits child labor laws breached by underage interns

Foxconn has admitted that it employed underage interns in breach of China's child labor laws. An internal investigation at its Yantai factory found some of the young trainees were aged 14- and 15-years old (16 being the legal minimum). In a statement received by CNET, the company advised that "this is not only a violation of China's labor law, it is also a violation of Foxconn policy and immediate steps have been taken to return the interns in question to their educational institutions." This comes as a further blow to the firm's employment record, after recent riots breaking out and strikes over iPhone 5 quality standards. These interns were sent to the facility from schools, with Foxconn carrying out full investigations with the relevant educational bodies to try to work out how this was allowed to happen. The tech manufacturer has been keen to accept responsibility for its part in the situation, advising strong action will be taken against any full-time members of staff found to have played a part in the breach.

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Foxconn admits child labor laws breached by use of underage interns originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 08:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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