Apple is breaking records with its earnings, but it’s also getting some bad publicity in the wake of a New York Times report that painted a picture of the workers in China who assemble iPhones, iPads and other devices, often in harsh labor conditions.
Specifically, The New York Times cites employees who work excessive overtime, in some cases seven days a week, and live in crowded dorms. The paper also reports workers who claim they stand so long that their legs swell until they can hardly walk, as well as advocacy group reports that Apple’s suppliers have improperly disposed of hazardous waste and falsified records and have little regard for worker health.
CEO Cook Speaks Out
Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to the Times reports in an e-mail to employees that was obtained by 9to5Mac.
“As a company and as individuals, we are defined by our values. Unfortunately some people are questioning Apple’s values today, and I’d like to address this with you directly,” Cook wrote.
“We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain. Any accident is deeply troubling, and any issue with working conditions is cause for concern. Any suggestion that we don’t care is patently false and offensive to us. As you know better than anyone, accusations like these are contrary to our values. It’s not who we are.”
Cook said Apple inspects more factories every year, raising the bar for its partners and going deeper into the supply chain. He stressed that the company has made a “great deal of progress” and improved conditions for hundreds of thousands of workers. He said he was convinced that no one in industry was doing as much as Apple in this regard.
“We will continue to dig deeper, and we will undoubtedly find more issues,” Cook wrote. “What we will not do — and never…
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