8. U.S. Law
An employer that violates
more than one federal or
state labor law governing
minimum wage and
overtime, child
labor, occupational safety
and health.
9. Chinese Labor Contract Law
Effective January 2008;
Meant to protect workers from
companies on the issue of
pay, overtime, health and safety
practices and to create fair and safe
practices for Chinese workers.
11. “
(corporations)routinely break every rule in
the book when it comes to labor rights. A
huge number of high street chains and
sporting goods retailers...”
12. Because of investigative
journalism, injustices are revealed.
They ask the tough questions.
They connect developed nations
with the source.
Journalists have the ability to tell the “Little Guy’s”
story and expose the unjust practices of
multinational corporations.
13. Foxconn Factory in China
Products
Produced
Hewlett-
Apple Microsoft
Packard
Foxconn China, Tricia Wang;
Flickr.com (Creative Commons)
15. Fair Labor Association Foxconn Investigation
• More than 60 hours/week
Hours
• Unpaid overtime
Pay • Low salaries ($360-$455 per month)
• Health risks
Safety
16. 150
Chinese workers threatened to commit suicide
in January 2012.
“Foxconn Resolves a Dispute With Some Workers in China”
– NY Times January 2012
17. Anti-Foxconn Protest in Taiwan, Courtesy of Creative Commons
Image by ttstam/Flickr, under Creative Commons
18. What was fixed?
Working hours adjusted to Chinese legal limit of 49
hours/week
25% increase in pay
19. “The report will include new
promises made by Apple that
stand just as empty as the
ones made over the past five
years” – SumOfUs.org
20. What about 2012?
Do you love your iphone?
We all do.
Do you love your cheap University T-Shirts?
Well despite laws in China, the country continually
uses labor practices which would be illegal in Europe
and the U.S.
21. April 14, 2012
Flickr, Creative Commons
"We have spoken to Adidas and they have
Accusations of sweatshop use in the production of
LONDON 2012that they are investigating these
assured us team uniforms sparked controversy
allegations, the conclusions of which will be
made public.”
Olympics 2012 chiefs concerned by Adidas 'sweatshop'
AFP – Sat, Apr 14, 2012
22. April 27th, 2012
A number of Foxconn Workers protested despite alleged
changes made to salary and working conditions
Creative Commons
25. In 2012, Journalists from
Fox News
New York Times
BBC News
CNN
and Huffington Post
Bloomberg BusinessWeek
exposed the Foxconn Protests
Giving the public a sense of
where their favorite products
actually originate.
26. What Can Corporations Do?
“Companies could
present a more
transparent view of
their supply chain”
28. Try and Buy Fair Trade
“exercise due diligence when buying
from any company that makes fair-
trade claims. The willingness of Fair
Indigo, American Apparel and others
to disclose their practices on the Web
could help” – NY Times
29. Sources
“Secrets, Lies, and Sweatshops,” Bloomberg BusinessWeek
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_48/b4011001.htm.
“Background on Sweatshops,” DoSomething.org
http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/background-sweatshops
“Mass suicide' protest at Apple manufacturer Foxconn factory,” The Telegraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/
asia/china/9006988/Mass-Suicide-Protest-at-Apple-Manufacturer-Foxconn-
factory.html.
“Foxconn Apple Factories Violated Chinese Labor Laws, According To Fair Labor
Association,” Huffington Post.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/foxconn-apple-factories-labor-
violations_n_1389392.html.
“Labor Contract Law of the People's Republic of China”
http://en.cnci.gov.cn/Law/LawDetails.aspx?ID=6079&p=1.
“A Click on Clothes to Support Fair Trade,” New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/technology/25ecom.html?pagewanted=all.
“Apple Supplier Foxconn Pledges to Improve Worker Conditions,”
http://www.neontommy.com/news/2012/03/apple-supplier-foxconn-pledges-
improve-worker-conditions.
“Overseas Sweatshops are a U.S. Responsibility,” Bloomberg BusinessWeek.
http://www.businessweek.com/debateroom/archives/2007/06/overseas_sw
eats.html.
“Apple Addresses Foxconn Factory Report,” BBC News.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17557630.
“Foxconn Workers Protest Wages, Threaten to Jump off Roof,” Huffington Post.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/foxconn-apple-factories-labor-
violations_n_1389392.html.
