Chinese Labor Group Alleges Major Labor Violations at Apple iPhone 5C Supplier Jabil CircuitChinese labor rights group China Labor Watch (CLW) has released a report (via The Next Web) bringing forth allegations of major labor abuses at a Chinese factory belonging to Jabil Circuit, a U.S.-based supplier to Apple. Specifically, the workers rights group accuses the company of numerous labor and wage violations, including millions of dollars in unpaid overtime wages, over 100 hours of monthly mandatory overtime, hiring discrimination, and excessive standing work. Additionally, the report states that the factory is currently producing Apple's lower-cost iPhone 5C as these alleged labor violations have been taking place, a device which should be unveiled next Tuesday.A new undercover investigation by China Labor Watch (CLW) has revealed a series of ethical and legal labor violations in a factory in Wuxi, China owned by U.S. electronics manufacturer Jabil Circuit that is currently producing the soon-to-be-released cheap iPhone for Apple. Among the infringements uncovered by CLW include millions of dollars in unpaid overtime wages; over 100 hours of monthly mandatory overtime, three times in excess of legal limits; more than 11 hours of standing work every day with no rest outside of 30-minute meal breaks; illegally inadequate pre-work training; hiring discrimination; and more. Many of the violations raised in CLW’s report also contradict the codes of conduct of both Apple and Jabil Circuit. Despite half a decade of outside investigations and self-reporting on myriad labor abuse throughout its Chinese supply chain, Apple has continually failed to compel supplier factories to conform to Apple’s code of conduct and local labor laws before giving these suppliers Apple production orders. Last month, the group also alleged poor working conditions at primary Apple supplier Pegatron, stating specific violations such as the unethical holding of worker pay as well as poor living conditions. Apple announced in July that it was forming an academic advisory board for its Supplier Responsibility program, saying that it wanted to ensure “safe and ethical working conditions wherever its products are made.” Apple has also published Supplier Responsibility Progress Reports every year since 2007, tracking the ethical progress of its suppliers in order to bring transparency to its product manufacturing process. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Japanese Manufacturers Ramp Up Production as iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C Launches Loom • Apple Asks Developers to Prepare for New 'Safari Push Notification' Feature in Mavericks • Apple Seeds OS X 10.8.5 Build 12F36 to Developers • Adobe Offering Photoshop CC and Lightroom for $9.99/Month to Current Photoshop Owners • Jawbone Debuts Thinner 'Mini Jambox' for $180 • Apple Sourcing Components for 17-Watt Power Supply, Speculation Focuses on Rumored 13-Inch iPad • Canadian Carrier Telus to Discontinue 32 GB and 64 GB iPhone 5 Models on September 28 • mLogic Debuts mBack External Hard Drive That Attaches to iMac and Apple Displays
http://www.macrumors.com/2013/09/05/chinese-labor-group-alleges-major-labor-violations-at-apple-iphone-5c-supplier-jabil-circuit/
