iPod gulags (Chinese slave labor)

WorldNetDaily ^ | 6/23/06 | Joseph Farah

[wagglebee]

Does your kid have an iPod?

Does he or she want one?

Don't even answer that question. Every kid in America either has one or wants one.

The demand for these little devices is amazing – and so is the price, between $200-$300.

"What's wrong with that?" you ask. "Commerce is good for America. It creates jobs and stimulates the economy."

Jobs? Stimulated economy?

Do you know where your iPod was made? Do you know by whom?

The London Sunday Mail wanted to find out. It sent reporters to "iPod City," where most of the Apple music players are made.

"iPod City" is not in the Silicon Valley, by the way. It's not in the USA. It's not in the United Kingdom. It's in Longhua, China.

That's where some 200,000 Chinese laborers work to make those iPods. That's more people than live in the city of Little Rock, Ark., for example.

What are the conditions like? How about the pay?

You might think a high-tech company like Apple might care about such matters. You might think the politically correct geeks who founded the company and run it would want to ensure foreign workers were not being exploited.

Here's what the Sunday Mail found:

• The laborers are housed in dormitories of 100 people each;

• visitors from the outside world are not permitted;

• workers toil for 15 hours a day;

• employees make $50 a month – not even a quarter of the price of one unit;

• the iPod nano is made in a five-story factory secured by police officers.

The iPod shuffles are made in Suzhou, Shanghai, where workers earn $100 a month. Sounds better doesn't it? Except these laborers must pay for their own food and accommodations – requiring about half their salary.

Remember all this when your kid asks you for an iPod.

And remember it the next time you go shopping at Wal-Mart or some other bargain center where all the goods are made in these virtual Chinese gulags for pay just above slave wages.

And remember that Apple is just one of thousands of companies using Chinese sweatshops like those described here to manufacture expensive goods designed for the Western consumer who remains blissfully ignorant about the conditions that created that product.

Why is it that we don't tolerate the exploitation of workers in our own country but turn a blind eye to exploitation 10 times worse elsewhere?

What is happening to the American conscience and psyche that allows this kind of abuse?

How is it that the U.S. government could continue to encourage the kind of corporate greed that results in manufacturing agreements with the fascists in Beijing?

Why is it that we see no screaming headlines about the conditions of "iPod City" in the U.S. corporate establishment press?

Where is our sense of right and wrong?

Would we have so glibly accepting of imports from Nazi Germany as we are of those made in the virtual slave labor conditions of the so-called "workers paradise" in China?

No, there's a double standard that permits China, a totalitarian socialist country, to get away with abuses that would not be tolerated anywhere else in the world.

Welcome to the New World Order – where we're OK with the worst kind of oppression, as long as we can't see it taking place.

[wagglebee]

The only hope is that the day will come when there is another Tiananmen Square and this time the Chicoms will back down and crumble like the Soviets.

[wagglebee]

iPod Ping.

[kjo]

I swear I am not making this up, but I don't know what an ipod is. Is it a computer game? That's my best guess. Yes, I am over fifty.

[Aria]

Being over 50 is no excuse. Get with it!

[kjo]

You haven't answered my question.

[dawn53]

It's a cool little handheld device (made by Apple) that stores LOTS of music on it (and not only does it store the music, it organizes it according to artist, album, etc.) You can use earphones to access the music or you can plug it into a dock with speakers. Also it can store video, pictures, etc., if you opt for the higher priced model.

BTW, I'm in my mid 50's and I like iPods, LOL.

[LauraleeBraswell]

It's a portable handheld device that you can upload hundreds of songs on. You take it anywhere, and it doesn't skip like a disc-man. Google it.

[Psycho_Bunny]

But they're designed in California!!!!!!

[jimtorr]

An iPod is a small, portable computerized music player, with music files contained on RAM and/or a hard drive. The iPod is slightly larger that a deck of cards.

[Amos the Prophet]

An iPod is the most worthless, trivial, mind-numbing toy in the marketplace. Does that give you a clue?

[HiTech RedNeck]

Here's what the Sunday Mail found: [suh-nip]

visitors from the outside world are not permitted;

So... they found this during their visit?

[Eagles6]

China has hard US dollars to support it's slave state, something the ussr never had. It will be a long time, if ever, before the people can overthrow them. Every dollar spent on chinese maufactured goods helps pay for iran and north korea's nuke programs, the chicom military and funds jihadis fighting our Troops

[kjo]

Yes. I think I like your explanation the best. As far as music goes I don't listen to anything written after 1791 anyway, that's the year Mozard died.

[GoBucks2002]

Normally, my answer to people complaining about their job, going on strike, the appalling labor conditions, etc., is that no one is holding a gun to their head and making them work here.

This taking place in the PRC, I am not so sure about that.

[dawn53]

You don't like music???? I've been around for records, 8 tracks, cassettes, and CD's...an iPod has them all beat, hands down!

[HiTech RedNeck]

The iPod shuffles are made in Suzhou, Shanghai, where workers earn $100 a month. Sounds better doesn't it? Except these laborers must pay for their own food and accommodations – requiring about half their salary.

So, $50 a month buys room and board in China. Gummint subsidies, no doubt.

[Bob Mc]

Well, I wouldn't jumped to conclusions. It's also very likely, that without this iPod factory, many of these Chinese people would have no jobs at all.

[freedumb2003]

I swear I am not making this up, but I don't know what an ipod is. Is it a computer game? That's my best guess. Yes, I am over fifty.

It is like a Sony Walkman only it has a hard disk instead of tapes so you use a control to select songs instead of swapping tapes. </BoomerSpaek>

[claudiustg]

It's likely that your shirt and pants and shoes are made by someone living and working in similar or worse circumstances.

[OSHA]

I'm still using wax cylinders.

[dawn53]

You got me beat on that one then, LOL.

[jude24]

What they also don't tell you is what $100/mo. buys in China. I have heard that for $500/mo., you can get a luxury apartment that would cost ten times that in Manhattan. If the ratio holds true, $100/mo. might be equivalent to a an
American salary of $12k or possibly even $24k in terms of buying power.

[DeweyCA]

Why is it that we see no screaming headlines about the conditions of "iPod City" in the U.S. corporate establishment press?

Because Apple is owned and run by big-time Liberals like Steve Jobs, and now Al Gore. The MSM do not want to make them look bad by making this nes known. If Tom DeLay or any other prominent Pubbie ran this company, the MSM would be screaming about it more than they were about Kathy Lee Gifford's outsourced company's policies.

[claudiustg]

---An iPod is the most worthless, trivial, mind-numbing toy in the marketplace. Does that give you a clue?---

I think you're the one that needs a clue ther Amos. What doe Andy think about iPods?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

As an aside, I've heard that, due to the extremely low distortion level of the digitally produced audio, which prompts users to crank up the volume, that many users have been reporting hearing damage (tinnitus, etc.). Don't know if this is true.

[mgstarr]

Yes all iPods should be made in America by happy and fat unionized workers. Sadly each unit would cost about $2k and increase every year.

And the point of the article is what? Should we not have iPods or any other modern technology device that has to be made overseas to be priced competitively?
Farah has absolutely no clue. I've been to similar factories in China and the workers (mostly female) are thrilled to have these jobs so they can earn more than they otherwise could in their villages. They save the money and then go back to buy land of their own and get married.

Oh wait, Go Pat Go.......

[wagglebee]

It's likely that your shirt and pants and shoes are made by someone living and working in similar or worse circumstances.

And for this reason I disagree with singling out Apple, it is the American economy that permits this and as you said, it is a problem with a huge number of consumer products.

[wagglebee]

See what I wrote in #27.

[JimRed]

As far as music goes I don't listen to anything written after 1791 anyway, that's the year Mozard died.

Gee, I stopped listening to music in 1971. That's when I discovered talk radio!

;^)

[dead]

I'm sure these Chinese workers would be much happier if the likes of Joe Farah succeeded and the Ipod factory was closed down.

That way, instead of having housing and food, plus fifty dollars a month, they could live in a storm drain and scour the dumps for food.

[cowboyway]

where we're OK with the worst kind of oppression, as long as we can't see it taking place.

Actually it's:

where we're OK with the worst kind of oppression, as long as we can't see it taking place can turn a tidy profit.

[GrandEagle]

What is happening to the American conscience and psyche that allows this kind of abuse?
Nothing is "happening". It is the same as it has always been. These things will go on until enough people throw it in the face of enough people and it becomes politically correct to address it.
Same thing as with slavery in this country. There were always those who were opposed to the practice, some of those even owned slaves.
Most people in "polite" society just didn't mention it because they liked the cheap goods that slavery provided.

A bit funny when you think about it, we have "environmentalist" here in the Mobile area who would like nothing better than for all the facilities (and the jobs they bring) to leave here. They don't mind if the go to a completely unregulated place like Mexico, they just don't want it here. In reality they are not really environmentalist then are they?
Same with slavery, most don't really mind it - they just don't want it here, and don't want to be reminded that they are supporting it.

Klinton was the Chinese best friend.

Cordially,
GE

[cowboyway]

that's the year Mozard died

Who's Mozard?

[martin_fierro]

Thanks, but I've been here already

[mgstarr]

Ummmm please explain what the problem is with consumer products.

[billbears]

Do you know where your iPod was made? Do you know by whom?

No. I don't care. If the product does what the manufacturer claims it does and it fits my needs then it doesn't matter does it?

Here's what the Sunday Mail found:
The laborers are housed in dormitories of 100 people each;
visitors from the outside world are not permitted;
workers toil for 15 hours a day;
employees make $50 a month – not even a quarter of the price of one unit;
the iPod nano is made in a five-story factory secured by police officers.

Toil?!? Joe, Joe, Joe...everytime I think you've gone off the deep end, you take it one more step. What's the average income in the local market Joe? Should they paid 'American' wages? What do you think that would do to the economy overnight Joe? From the manufacturer of the iPods in China

"In Shenzhen, our workers can earn at least 580 yuan ($72.50) a month, which is the minimum salary level fixed by the local government. Starting from this July, the basic salary will be adjusted to 700 yuan ($87.50) in line with the government's new standards," James Lee, senior vice president of Foxconn Technology, told China Daily. "It's hard to understand for many westerners but it's true that many of our workers are willing to work overtime to make more money. We don't force them to work overtime and won't allow them to work overtime for more than 20 hours a week," Lee said. The practices comply with the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct, which sets out basic labor and environmental standards for IT contractors, he explained.

The local labor department authority told China Daily that Foxconn is a leading company in the city and it has not received any complaints about it. "I don't think the government will launch a special investigation into Foxconn," the spokesperson said. However, a female worker at the factory said the working conditions were OK, but not everything was satisfactory. "We are just here to make money. Some factories are even worse," she said.

Foxconn Bristles at iPod 'Sweatshop' Charges

Find another dead horse to beat Joe. Your anti-capitalist, pro-union schtick is boring....

[wagglebee]

I mean that many of the products we use are produced in communist China in factories that basically employ slave labor.

[agooga]

The iPod is just a tool (or toy, if you prefer) that stores and plays music-- how does that make it "worthless, trivial and mind-numbing?"

Sheesh...

[enviros_kill]

I refuse to buy Apple stuff out of principle to some degree (can't stand the libs who run it) and because there are MUCH better values in MP3/Video players on the market. I love my Archos GMINI 402 portable multimedia center: 20GB hard drive, built in USB that allows me to capture the photos from everybody's digital camera BEFORE we leave the family reunion and then pipe them into a big screen TV so everybody can enjoy them on the last day of the get together. Wired it directly into my 1998 Avalon head unit for best fidelity with an adapter from Crutchfield ($60) that I custom mounted in the center console. Everything still looks factory. The Archos hooks to your computer USB port just like a flash drive. Can move music, photos and data back and forth without any extra software. Listen to business podcasts and books on trips.

http://www.archos.com/products/pc_centric/gmini_402/index.html?country=global&lang=en

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Invented the steam powered pedal steel. :)

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Both my kids own ipods that they purchased with their own money.......it's da Momma that wants one! I'm waiting for the price to come down! I will not pay full price for anything........... :)

[alice_in_bubbaland]

LOL! My Hubby still calls CD's.....tapes. Geesh!

[wagglebee]

The price will NEVER come down, Apple just introduces newer models with different features to keep price and demand up.

[mgstarr]

And how many of those factories have you personally visited? I'm curious because I have.

[billbears]

A recent study shows that the average monthly income of 70% of business workers in Mainland China is between 800 yuan (US $97) to 2,500 yuan (US $302), with the senior management staff earning three to 15 times the salary of the average enterprise worker. The report also shows that more than 70 percent of the Chinese enterprise workers are satisfied with their salaries, and the most unsatisfied are the employees of state-run enterprises.

Study details Chinese workers' salary

So the workers at this Apple plant are making close to wages, contrary to Joeworld belief, and if the survey is to believed are more than likely happy with their jobs. But what the hey, let's force Apple to pay them $2000-$3000 per month. That will really help the local economy....Who's with me for setting up the boycott?

[DB]

I agree. And the truth is the average Chinese has more economic standing than they ever had before. I don't believe Chinese "capitalism" and political totalitarianism can cohabit very long.

As far as low cost labor, much the same thing could have been said about Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea fifty years ago. That's changed. As the workers got more economic standing they were able to demanded more. Eventually they brought themselves up to parity with the west. That was a very good thing.

The bottom line is you have to start somewhere. In the case of the Chinese it is the bottom.

[wagglebee]

I haven't visited any of them. Are you trying to imply that Chinese workers enjoy the same freedoms that American workers do?

[Cleburne]

Well, $50- 400 yuan, 4,800 a year- will certainly go further in a month in China than in the states. A good sit-down meal at a decent restaraunt would be about sixteen, twenty yuan; a basic meal of rice and some extras maybe four or five yuan. I have had some excellent good-sized meals for eight-ten yuan. Other items likewise tend to be much cheaper than in the developed world (except for quality electronics- I found some digital cameras for example that were more expensive than in the US, as in yuan-to-dollars more expensive).

However, if one is only making 400 yuan a month, while it's certainly going to stretch further than it would in the developed world, it leaves very little left over for savings, and hence upward mobility, or any kind of mobility at all for that matter. If you need healthcare you are at the mercy of the limited facilities provided by the government, and if you end up in the hospital you'll be getting your own food (unless you have relatives or friends who will bring it to you). Your health-care will probably be something along the lines of 'injections' which they will give you for a while and hope you get better. If you get worse you can't afford decent health care (from a private provider or by greasing the right palms) so you either stay sick or die.

The average salary of urban workers (according to government statistics) is 18,000 yuan. These people are making considerably less, and, it should be mentioned, many of them are doing it outside of traditional safety zones of family and community. Many of these workers are migrant workers (who may not even 'exist' legally) from the provinces who have very little contact with family, and in the event of an emergency- such as a hospital stay- cannot fall back upon normal means of coping.

[kjo]

Sorry, I meant Mozart.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Well I guess I'll never own one then. :(