Many of the workers are teenagers (Weir noted that no one looked over 30) who had come from small villages to labor over high-tech gadgets for 12 hour-long shifts. Not only do they work at Foxconn, but many of them also live there. Weir toured the dormitories, where employees pay $17.50 a month to live seven to a room. According to Forbes, Foxconn employees make about $1.78 per hour.
When asked about their lives at the factory, Weir noted that many of the workers shared complaints similar to any worker: the pay is too low, the food prices too high and they get tired. When asked what she thinks about during work, one young mother of two told Weir, "A lot of the time I think about how tired I am. I think about resting."
Of course, it becomes obvious that working at Foxconn is not like working anywhere else, as soon as the infamous suicide nets come into view. These nets were installed between buildings after a spate of worker suicides in 2010. According to the segment, Apple CEO Tim Cook, then Apple's COO, flew to Shenzhen following the series of suicides and put together a team of experts to examine the issue, and these experts recommended installing the nets. There have been 18 worker suicides at Foxconn since 2010, which, according to Nightline, is well below China's national average.
Weir meets up with Auret van Heerdenan, President of the Fair Labor Association (FLA), an organization that Apple has asked to conduct "special voluntary audits" of the working conditions at its component makers' factories. The auditor says one thing he looks in the workers are simply signs of curiosity and liveliness, such as looking up when he walks by. According to Forbes, the FLA is expected to post the results of the audit in March.
Weir reported several facts about productivity at Foxconn's plant. According to his report, it takes five days and 325 hands to make an iPad and 141 steps to put together an iPhone. Weir notes he was surprised by how few machines were in place, and remarked that the gadgets seemed entirely assembled by hand.
Check out the slideshow (below) for more facts about these so-called "iFactories."
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Handmade Gadgets
On February 21, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/22/nightline-apple-supplier-foxconn_n_1293393.html?ref=technology" target="_hplink">ABC aired a "Nightline" segment featuring Bill Weir's visit to a Chinese Foxconn factory</a> responsible for making some of Apple's popular devices. During a tour of the factory, Weir says he "expected more robots" but in fact most of the gadgets at Foxconn are made the old-fashioned way: The high tech parts are put together by hand. For example, iPhones are assembled by hand in 141 steps. One iPad takes five days to assemble and passes through 325 sets of hands.
Insane Output
Two shifts of workers toiling in 12 hour shifts can make 300,000 iPad camera modules in one day, not to mention shape sleek iPads out of "raw hunk[s] of aluminum" at a rate of 10,000 per hour.
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/watch/nightline/SH5584743/VD55173552/nightline-221-apples-chinese-factories-exclusive" target="_hplink">Image via Nightline</a>
7 To A Room
Many workers live at the factory, where they pay $17.50 per month to live 7 to a room in Foxconn dormitories. <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/connieguglielmo/2012/02/22/nightline-goes-inside-apple-factories-in-china/" target="_hplink">The average starting salary is $285 per month,</a> and workers must pay for their food.
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/watch/nightline/SH5584743/VD55173552/nightline-221-apples-chinese-factories-exclusive" target="_hplink">Image via Nightline</a>
No Free Lunch
Workers get two hour-long meal breaks during each 12-hour shift. They eat together in a cafeteria where they pay $.70 a meal. This is about a quarter of their hourly wage.
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/watch/nightline/SH5584743/VD55173552/nightline-221-apples-chinese-factories-exclusive" target="_hplink">Image via Nightline</a>
Tim Cook Investigated Suicides
In 2010, after a spate of suicides at Foxconn's Shenzen plant, then COO Tim Cook flew to China to investigate the matter. <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/watch/nightline/SH5584743/VD55173552/nightline-221-apples-chinese-factories-exclusive" target="_hplink">According to Nightline,</a> Cook put together a team of psychiatric experts to examine the issue. It was at that team's suggestion that the infamous nets were installed between the buildings to prevent suicides. There have been 18 worker suicides at Foxconn since 2010. <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/15/us-china-apple-idUSTRE81E1FQ20120215" target="_hplink">According to Reuters' interview with Fair Labor Association president Auret van Heerden, the group's initial findings from its audit of Foxconn</a> suggested that the suicides could have been "a function of monotony, of boredom, of alienation perhaps."
Young Workers
Weir said he was surprised to see how young the workers were. He said many were in their late teens and no one looked like they could be over 30. Many had left their hometowns, oftentimes in the countryside, in order to get jobs at Foxconn. Weir also toured Chengdu and spoke with the relatives of workers who had left for jobs at Foxconn.
According to Cult of Mac, <a href="http://www.cultofmac.com/147878/foxconn-employees-say-underage-workers-were-hidden-before-fla-inspection/" target="_hplink">Foxconn may have hidden underage employees</a> when the Fair Labor Association conducted its inspections. While Apple allows for workers as young as sixteen to assemble their products, those eighteen and under are afforded "special protections," <a href="http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/02/22/factory_workers_claim_foxconn_hid_under_age_employees_before_fla_inspection.html" target="_hplink">according to Apple Insider.</a> These include not being allowed to perform some tasks and working shorter hours than older workers.
Foxconn Exec Wants To Pay More
When asked how Foxconn would react if Apple suggested doubling workers' pay, Foxconn executive Louis Woo told Weir that the company would welcome a raise for employees.
"Why not?" Woo said. "That would be good for the employees and also definitely good for China and good for us."
Air Showers
Workers have to wear static-proof jackets and take "air showers" to make sure the work area remains dust-free. Even one spec of dust could prove ruinous to the iGadgets' delicate innards.
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/watch/nightline/SH5584743/VD55173552/nightline-221-apples-chinese-factories-exclusive" target="_hplink">Image via Nightline</a>
Following weeks of intense scrutiny of worker treatment at Apple's Chinese suppliers, the tech giant granted Nightline's Bill Weir unprecedented access to component-maker Foxconn. With over 1 million ...
Following weeks of intense scrutiny of worker treatment at Apple's Chinese suppliers, the tech giant granted Nightline's Bill Weir unprecedented access to component-maker Foxconn. With over 1 million ...
By James Pomfret LONGHUA, China (Reuters) - Apple's top manufacturer in China, Foxconn Technology, is having no problems luring fresh workers to churn out ever...
On Tuesday 21 at 11:35 p.m. (EST), ABC's Nightline will offer viewers an exclusive look at factory floors inside China's massive electronics manufacturing company Foxconn,...
Did Apple's CEO just hint at the possibility of the fabled iTV coming to market? Taking the stage at the annual Glodman Sachs Technology Confernece,...
Apple on Monday said that it has asked the Fair Labor Association to conduct "special voluntary audits" of several of its assembly suppliers' facilities. Most...
Apple's controversial Chinese supplier Foxconn was battling on Thursday to contain a security breach after hackers joined the mounting protest over iPhone factory conditions by...
NEW YORK -- As President Obama continues to battle for his innovation agenda, a new report released this week by the U.S. International Trade Commission...
I used to do time motion studies to improve productivity. I never foresaw this coming. There is a breaking point for everyone. The mind numbing repetition and the constant badgering by overbearing "supervisors". This is not life, it is existence. Like Santorum says. "We need more babies for the workforce of tomorrow. Having an education is over rated."
Patriot_Games: I used to do time motion studies to improve productivity.
"Time motion studies to improve productivity." That has a lot to do with the increasing numbers of Americans on Social Security Disability and the Republicans complaining about that. People wear-out and television commentator "Morning Joe" Scarborough and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio are saying they want to increase the retirement age to seventy. Neither of them of ever had a regular job like we have where you have to stand for 10 hours-a-day.
Scott_Leland: "Time motion studies to improve productivity." That has a lot
Installing suicide nets evidently is far cheaper than providing a decent wage, and decent working hours that would enable the workers to move out of the "company town" dormitory living.
I've spent far too much time in fabs all over Asia and most of them seem to operate exactly like the old company mining towns from the American old west.
SmotPoker: Installing suicide nets evidently is far cheaper than providing a
At the same factory in Shenzen, they make Amazon's Kindle Fire. If it takes five days to make an iPad, I wonder how many days it takes to make Kindle Fire?
madisonlike60: At the same factory in Shenzen, they make Amazon's Kindle
With record apple profits, there really is no excuse not to treat your employees with dignity and proper pay, they pack them 7 in a room the size of a prison cell as living quarters,they can't even afford a proper apartment or house to live as a family with well there family. I guess in the cost benefit analysis suicide nets must be cheaper than giving time off and proper pay.
Thomas_Alan: With record apple profits, there really is no excuse not
Now it's time to move the factories back to the U.S. and start employing Americans that buy Apple products!!It's proven now that a company can make more cash for themselves, now we must look at the larger picture and say,"We are an American company and we will employ and support American workers"!!
gramma99701: Now it's time to move the factories back to the
Yes, you are right. I read a report that said the retail price of an iPad would increase by $3 if it were assembled in the U.S.. We have to let the corporations know that we will appreciate them hiring Americans to keep the Recovery going:
One...correspondent Bill Weir draws probably one of the shallowest conclusions I have ever seen from his reporting observations. He visits workers in a company compound who cannot afford an iPad, comes back to his studio where all his peers have one and states: "You can either be a country that manufacturers iPads or one that buys them." Talk about conclusions based on anecdotal evidence...wow.
Everybody seems to miss that the exchange rate that keeps the disparity in wages so great is set by China...unlike most other world currencies. There may be some cost differences between manufacturing here and in China but they are inflated by an artificial exchange rate. There seems, however, to be little political will...despite periodic candidate speeches...to put pressure on China to let it's currency float. I suspect there are many reasons but it seems there are at least 2 obvious enough to mention: it does make the profit margin higher for companies, and even if we really wanted to put pressure on the Chinese government for a more realistic currency exchange rate, our leverage is considerably reduced by the fact that they hold so much of our debt.
Like a lot of people, I am disappointed in Apple. Apple used to have high quality, state of the art manufacturing facilities in this country, but there are other things at play besides simply the cost of labor.
zoot_finster: A couple of observations. One...correspondent Bill Weir draws probably one
It isn't as simple as letting it float, if they did that work would dry up and the workers would be in a lot worse shape, starvation and riots would ensue. It has to be gradual so domestic demand increase keeps pace with the fall off in exports as labor rates rise closer to parity with other countries.
Ty2010: It isn't as simple as letting it float, if they
Interesting side note is when you watch the TV program "SHARK TANK" that baldheaded guy in the middle ALWAYS wants to send the manufacture overseas instead of domestic to maximize profits even though the person who is offering his/her company a portion of his/her business for XXX amount of cash SAID that building domestically yields a profit AND provides jobs in that area. Its good to make profits but we must make them as much as we can doing so with helping our fellow people who have not fared too well.
dionkraft: Interesting side note is when you watch the TV program
Yes, that is the typical "Masters of Business Adiministration" thinking that favors "Free Trade" and exporting Americans' jobs. President Bush and Presidential candidate Mitt Romney are both Harvard MBAs.
Scott_Leland: Yes, that is the typical "Masters of Business Adiministration" thinking
If you read this article carefully you will see that these iphones are assembled completely by hand. If we automated this process we could create thousands of job right back here in the USA and save tons of money on shipping and improve quality. I am very dissappointed in Apple CEO executive decisions to just fix the problem by installing suicide safety nets. What about the thousands of Americans who are committing suicide because they can't find jobs?
BARRYBEAT: If you read this article carefully you will see that
Been to many Chinese factories including candles, shoes, electronics, batteries, phones, etc. Try opening up a manufacturing plant in Calif and you will commit suicide. Every regulation you can think of comes into play. I have been to Foxcomm and they have millions invested in SMD equipment along with ATE. The article was misleading as many of the components are made using automation. Apple is a target because of the inherent problems associated with being a successful company. A few years ago, Microsoft was the target. The mainstream media and the liberals just cannot leave this alone. Lot of experts on the nightly news.
fredtoro: Been to many Chinese factories including candles, shoes, electronics, batteries,
I felt that Apple was unjustly singled out also. I am not a liberal but I do not condone the unfair advantage the Chinese have not only in cheap labor and there disregard for human rights but also there disregard for environmental regulations (which they have very few and would not enforce anyways.)
I am glad that these parts are not totally handmade. Do you know who produces the automation? (probably Germany) And as I said I am not liberal but I will not leave alone the fact that there are way too many jobs leaving the US and going to China.
BARRYBEAT: I felt that Apple was unjustly singled out also. I
What does being a liberal have to do with human rights? Please tell me, I agree with Apple being singled out but more than likely it's because they dominate in terms of cutting edge technology. Whats wrong with news being progressive? Forcing Americans to consider the person who is assembling the product we consume? I don't believe that this segment would stop anyone from buying an apple product, but there are many things that they possibly could show that would.
Markmittens: What does being a liberal have to do with human
Foxconn will not invest in machinery because Apple introduces new models every year. The young Chinese working there are recruited from villages in the country so they are away from their families for the first time, that is stressful. Yes, every job is important to Americans.
Scott_Leland: Foxconn will not invest in machinery because Apple introduces new
When China stops currency manipulation, their wages will automatically increase in US dollars. And of course, Apple products will automatically charge more.
Ron_Menge: When China stops currency manipulation, their wages will automatically increase
Yeah, I know
I was just reading an article on it the other day
How can people buy from a company that so brazenly treats their workers that way?
And lets face it. Theyre apples workers. They may run it through that Foxconn company but Apple still pays the bills and Apple sits on nearly $100 Billion in cash earned off the backs of those workers...
VoiceOfReality2012: Yeah, I know I was just reading an article on
A hair cut over there cost $1.50... how much did you pay last time for a trim? there cost of living is much different than a large majority of the world where these products are used. .
rongway1: A hair cut over there cost $1.50... how much did
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The Huffington Post Ramona Emerson First Posted: 02/22/2012 10:00 am Updated: 02/23/2012 1:11 am