[SACOM project officer Debby Sze Wan] Chan said she had heard from two Foxconn workers in Zhenghou last week that the manufacturer was “prepared for the inspection” by the Fair Labor Association that had been commissioned by Apple and began last week.
“All underage workers, between 16-17 years old, were not assigned any overtime work and some of them were even sent to other departments,” Chan reported the workers as having said.
Other workers reported to the agency that Foxconn had relaxed certain policies such as by adding additional break periods ahead of the audits.
Fair Labor Association president Auret van Heerden noted to Nightline’s Bill Weir in a segment that aired yesterday that his group always expects to receive “a show” when it arrives for its audits, but that its interview techniques and other strategies help to dig beneath the surface to find more accurate representations of working conditions.
Chan’s organization also focuses on issues of student labor, alleging that local Chinese governments have in some cases forced school to sent their students to Foxconn for internships even when the work is completely outside of their field of study.
Apple’s high-profile presence and Foxconn’s role as its largest manufacturing partner have cast the two firms into the spotlight over the issue of worker rights and factory conditions. The issues are of course not unique to the two companies, although Apple’s public statements and attempts transparency have also contributed to the focused attention.
When I was 16-17 I often worked in Apple orchards 14 hrs. a day.
Here in Amerika.
Look on the bright side. At least they don’t have to work retail and deal with crappy customers.:D:p
This times 1000!!
ABC should have asked to speak with iPhone Girl.
Then the REAL truth would be revealed!
She looks totally miserable. 
ABC should have asked to speak with iPhone Girl.
Image
Then the REAL truth would be revealed!
They couldn’t. She was in school at the time. :p;)
Wow. Cry me a river.
When I was 16-17 I often worked in Apple orchards 14 hrs. a day.
Here in Amerika.
I recall being 14-15 and working as a janitor during the summer. Here in America…
Still, if true, I’m not surprised. You shouldn’t be either.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.