Labor practice protest goes down at Computex, Steve Jobs called an 'OEM profit bloodsucker'
By Darren Murph 
posted June 1st 2010 2:30AM
posted June 1st 2010 2:30AM
posted June 1st 2010 2:30AM
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I Approve...
@kapanak i wish they would have come up with better steve jobs war criminal pictures... maybe ill create one
I guess it is safer for them to blame the American than to protest the real evil, China. What China allows companies to do to their laborers pales in comparison to what it does to its own citizens. I'm not a fan of Apple but lets not do the oppressive communists any favors by pretending that conditions in that country are anybody else's fault.
@kapanak
I Disapprove
@sacguy You are simply ignorant if all giant corporates didn't have a play in this.
@sacguy Another mindless troll that believes everything the media feeds him. Have you ever even been to China?
@Luno
x2. The capitalist developed countries treat this world like a flower, don't you think. What a brainwashed piece on f*ck.
Again, it's not just apple who use Foxconns products.
@sacguy
Very well said mate, I'm glad someone had the guts to say the truth.
@kapanak
I wonder what the protesters would say if Apple agreed with them and then manufactured their products elsewhere...
"Wait, we just want increased wages... Don't leave!"
@sacguy
You're mixing chalk and cheese, man. There's enough blame for everyone here; including you and I. The events there didnt happen in a vacuum.
http://www.storyofstuff.com/
@GMoney : You are mixing up the Taiwanese and the mainland Chinese. The protesters are Taiwanese, not affected by whether Apple makes it in Mainland China or not.
@sacguy
My guess is that they're going after the easy target and the one that could do the most damage.
If Apple were to pull out of China and go somewhere else, you can bet that Dell, HP and others may quietly follow. Then the Chinese government would have to act.
@kapanak
Those kids got some really big balls to stand up for what they believe in -- especially living in that kind of ass-backwards corrupt society.
@sacguy
epic comment deserves epic rank
@kapanak
And I understand. Those Chinese clases have really worked :O
@sacguy
You have to look at profit margins. Foxconn profit margins are like 2%, while Apple is like 25% Who do you think should make the concessions? Contrary to what you believe, there are labor laws in China, but the workers were forced to sign up for mandatory overtime. Overtime is also a very Asian phenomenon; most big Japanese and Korean companies make their workers do this too.
@bigcow05 Didn't Apple just said that they are going to pass on 1-2% profit to the workers.
@MySchizoBuddy
Yep! I think I might get an ipod touch soon.
@kapanak
I approve... of that hot protester.
@kapanak
I don't see why all of the blame is being placed on Steve Jobs. Apple isn't even the biggest supplier for these manufacturers. HP and Dell have easily 10x as many products as Apple does and they sell much more..
@sacguy I disagree. Apple claims to do EXTENSIVE checks on these companies. Apparently they knew and lied.. Apple sucks!
@bigcow05 It would not be 25%, 25% would be far too low a profit margin to weather fluctuations. The profit would have to be closer to 31%-33%, especially when they have a policy of replacing any item with the same one.
I am just wondering.... does anyone know the effect of a payrise has on a consumption cycle? The following assume only an increase at the very base level in the cycle.
1. Pay increased to workers
2. Cost of pay will directly or indirectly add on to the cost of goods sold.
3. Cost of goods sold will increase the wholesale/distribution price.
4. Wholesaler/distributor will add a profit (usually 1/3) on top to retailers.
5. Retailers again double the price to cover overheads (1/3 is profit).
So go figure what the actual price is. This is a real world model. Then think what happen when a few of the in-betweens also have payrises.
Chinese companies have long histories of malicious practice behind close doors. When foreign contractors come for inspection, what they see if just the front end of the facility. You need "clearances" to see what's really going on behind closely guarded part of the facility. Companies like Apple can inspect all that they want and they'll never see the real work environment in the closed doors.
The best that the western companies can do is to unanimously pull out of China's labor market and produce elsewhere, which with no doubt, will increase the cost of goods sold and it will be passed on to the consumers. In order for that to happen, we, the consumers will need to let companies know that we do not want to purchase products made in such lawless country. We have to consciously purchase products made outside of China and not complain about the increased cost of goods.
It would be a great idea for companies like Apple who have a leadership position in the industry to take the lead. Apple can easily have companies produce the same product here in the US with the big old sign of "Assembled in USA" on it and charge a premium for the product. Do that as a build to order experiment and see how consumers respond to the message. If people are conscious about labor treatments like they do with the environment and animal protections now days, it will catch on and Apple will be able to shift more manufacturing back to the States, producing more jobs, lower the cost here and everyone will be happy.
@kapanak Oh apple please wake up.. I'm sure one day someone will discover that it's using kids for its factory as well. http://j.mp/apple-going-labor-with-children
@donv69 Good point (nice to see an thought out response).
Yes, I agree that major corporations could make a stand to try to pressure China to make a change. So some responsibility is on them (and us to compel those corporations), but my point is that we should not detract from the greatest problem. We learned the lesson that companies will do things that are not in the best interest of the people if there are not regulations to stop them (a la Goldman Sachs) so ultimately it is the country that is responsible for looking out for its people. No country is perfect but I think we can all agree that China is the farthest behind of the major economies and we need to stop looking the other way.
@donv69 So they can exit China and go to another 3rd world country that has even less labor protection and government regulations. Good work. I bet Sacguy has never been to China and he/she accept 100% what the media fed him/her.
Uh oh. Steve Jobs is in hot water.
@TenaciousJ728 Indeed... and the more Apple gains attention from media and users the more scrutiny it will have to pass.
Just look at pay attention at the latest news: DOJ investigating iTunes/Flash practices, labor conditions abroad, etc...
Happened to Microsoft, is happening to Google will happen to Apple.
@TenaciousJ728
Good. I hope Apple crashes and burns. I hate their North Korean philosophy. My only worry is that Windows will get worse without proper competition if this happens.
@Mr w00t
The difference is, people didn't lose their lives because of Microsoft and the... possible exception of Google. (BEFORE they pulled out of mainland China)
People routinely commit suicide because of Apple, and are constantly poisoned because of severe environmental damage. I doubt Microsoft products cause as much damage...
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa Yeah. I'm no politician but I think that Apple's products have high demand to the point that Apple's become increasingly careless for how they get things done and inconsiderate for important third-parties to make their products physically possible. Makes sense? I'm pretty sure Apple's hasn't been the only one going through this...
We're gonna have to go through some major changes in the factory workforce. And we're gonna have to do it quickly but formally. Nothing's impossible!
Poor factory workers....
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa Eh? What about Microsoft hardware, like mice, Xbox 360s, etc?
Also who's committed suicide because of Apple?
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa
How about the high Windows upgrade costs bankrupting businesses and causing those workers to lose their jobs?
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa well dude, software is not made in China.... except that xbox thingy, but nobody buys that.
Apple on the other hand has millions and millions of products to sell. Its not that they want people to commit suicide, but having a country where you can produce cheaply is just something you do. Otherwise the competition will, and they will sell cheaper hardware. Or would you rather buy a mac that costs twice as much because it is made in the US?
Apple is not the only one taking advantage of those poor chinamen. There are lots of companies working with Foxcon... blame them all.
@TenaciousJ728
Enemy STEVE JOBS is in hot water!
Enemy STEVE JOBS used FLASH!
But it failed! STEVE JOBS needs to cool down before he can use FLASH...
@TenaciousJ728
"Uh oh. Steve Jobs is in hot water."
I wouldnt worry about it. The chick on the right looks scared anyway and appears to be hiding... as if she's worried Steve will see her face.
@musicssound
Trust me, I'm no fan of Microsoft either. But I use Windows because I really don't have a choice. It's a much better environment than Snow Leopard or any kind of Linux experience.
I just wish there was more freedom. Win32 API + DirectX being made open source = no more Microsoft.
@musicssound
that's the dumbest sh1t I've ever heard. Not
only is the upgrade cost not mandatory nor is it a surprise, it's an expense to operate, that somehow many people who don't run businesses so poorly seem to have a fine time dealing with. Are cars a rip off for the morons who default on their loans? And what's funny is the average person spends a much larger percentage of their income on a car, which is simple transportation, think about it, $28,000 on average just to carry your ass around. On the otherhand, it takes only $20,000 in software to get a pretty sizable business rolling.
They have my support.
@Niazac
Well its 1984 all over again. Or an alternate version of it.
At what temperature do iPads burn?
@Niazac
Chinese democracy = Taiwan.
This seems weird in light of Apples announcement that they will be paying employees directly. Also, why do the workers care about OEM profits?
@DrDr no announcement a unvalidated rumor i suggest you read again
@Atlantian
I read on another site as if it was actually confirmed. I guess thats what happens when the press use engadget as a source.
jobs is a profit bloodsucker!
Can't believe Engadget posted something negative about Steve. The cows must have come home, pigs are flying, and hell has frozen over.
@bighap That's why it's posted under "Engadget Alt".
@bighap
Ya, it's an alternate universe, where Steve Jobs is evil and resistive touch screens are the future.
@bighap
There's a tag saying 'unfair'.. I just don't who did engadget think was being treated unfairly here..