Apple has admitted that child labour was used at some of the Chinese factories the company uses to manufacture computers, iPods and iPhones.
Eleven 15-year-old children were found to be working in 2009 at three factories that supply Apple directly.
Most of Apple's computers, phones and digital music players are assembled in China. The company has not revealed the names or locations of the three factories in question that were using child labour to assemble Apple devices.
Dodgy suppliers sacked
Apple said this week that the child workers in question are no longer being used, or that they are now not underage.
"In each of the three facilities, we required a review of all employment records for the year as well as a complete analysis of the hiring process to clarify how underage people had been able to gain employment," said Apple in an annual suppliers report.
Either way, the fact that it happened at all is yet another PR nightmare for Steve Jobs, with the news hot on the heels of a story earlier this month that 62 workers at a factory run by Wintek, in the Chinese city of Suzhou that manufactures products for Apple and Nokia were poisoned by n-hexane.
In the latest report, Apple detailed sweatshop conditions inside some of the factories it uses, with 55 of the 102 factories that supply the company ignoring Apple's rule that staff cannot work more than 60 hours a week.
"When we investigated, we uncovered records and conducted worker interviews that revealed excessive working hours and seven days of continuous work," Apple said, noting it had now terminated its contracts with the factory in question.
Via The Telegraph
Your comments (9) Click to add a new comment
windymiller
March 2nd 2010
9. @ anteaus
"If they were working in sweatshop conditions, then that was wrong. But the report does not say this."
""When we investigated, we uncovered records and conducted worker interviews that revealed excessive working hours and seven days of continuous work," Apple said, noting it had now terminated its contracts with the factory in question."
Big hint, yes?
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lovlid
March 1st 2010
8. @ ginga_p!llock.
And King George VI was a wonderful ruler.
It isn't "normal" for children today, to miss out on their right to an education by having to work in cr@ppy conditions.
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ffrankmccaffery
February 28th 2010
7. any of you clowns even seen the conditions within these factories? if you did than you'd understand why such an uproar when children are found to be working in them
@jameskatt: the real problem is bigots like you who can dismiss an entire nation with such ignorant and sweeping statements.
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anteaus
February 28th 2010
6. If they were working in sweatshop conditions, then that was wrong. But the report does not say this. In any case, it would be equally wrong if older persons were working in sweatshop conditions.
Who is to say that a teenager cannot hold-down a job and earn a living, if that is his or her wish? Persons with a vested interest in ensuring that does not happen, I would imagine.
Soon, you won't be allowed out of nappies till you're 25.
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lloryck
February 28th 2010
5. What PR nightmare. They did and audit found wrongdoing and stopped it.
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ginga_nut
February 28th 2010
4. I left school and worked at 15 in an engineering factory plus i did at least 12 hours a week overtime. In fact i was doing a paper round at 12, then working on Saturdays in a cycle shop from 14 and doing little jobs for various people in my village from 13. I dont know what all the fuss is about. It is 'normal' in china for children to work from a slightly younger age than here. They'll be wanting to tell them what to feed them next. Another example of bigotry if you ask me.
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fishyie
February 28th 2010
3. At least apple check their factories, if they hadnt done this survey we wouldn't know, they could have taken a load of s**t for this but they've still done the survey and have improved the factories
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bobu1946
February 28th 2010
2. I would rather live in China which does not have a drugs problem and it's safe for anyone to walk home a night, than your so called 'civilisation'.If 15 year olds are working in factories it must be to support their families. Try LIVING in China and get the real picture, not the **** you read about 2nd hand.
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jragosta
February 27th 2010
1. This is a direct result of the 'Walmartization' of America. As Americans demand cheaper and cheaper products, companies have outsourced as that's the only way they can get them and stay in business. What is described here is standard business practice in China. You would find the same thing in companies making HP, Sony, Nintendo, and any other product sold in America. Until the U.S. government steps in with massive fine and duties on Chinese imports, it's not going to change.
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