Artist’s impression of discussion on freedom of association at
GoodElectronics and makeITfair Round Table with the electronics
industry, 9-10 May, Amsterdam. By Maarten Wolterink.
The FLA’s second interim report paints a misleading picture of progress on the working conditions experienced by the workers in Apple’s supply chain. The FLA report creates the impression that nearly all necessary reforms have already been implemented. However, a closer analysis indicates that important promised remedies have been dropped; that what the FLA characterizes as full remediation in some areas is actually partial progress or worse. This is the alarming analysis of Isaac Shapiro and Scott Nova, in a blog post of June 7. They write that the work hours at the three factories examined are still far out of compliance with Chinese law; that evidence contrary to the FLA findings has been ignored, including evidence that reforms at the investigated factories have not been matched by reforms at other factories making Apple products; and that Apple’s own recent report portrays widespread labor rights violations throughout its supply chain.
Occupational and Environmental health and justice and workers’ rights groups from Asia, Europe and North America today issued a joint statement condemning TCO Development – the Swedish certification organization – for awarding its first “Sustainability Certification” to Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Smartphone, in spite of the fact that Samsung has been severely criticized in South Korea and elsewhere for its dismal occupational safety and health record. More than 180 young Samsung workers have developed occupational diseases such as cancer and 70 of them have already died after having been exposed to hazardous chemicals on the job. In addition, a recent leakage of hydrogen fluoride in a Samsung semiconductor factory in Hwaseong killed another worker.
Apple distanziert sich von seinem langgedienten Zulieferer Foxconn. Sein günstiges iPhone wird das Unternehmen beim Foxconn-Konkurrenten Pegatron anfertigen lassen. Doch nicht die Medienaufmerksamkeit nach drei weiteren Selbstmorden bei Foxconn hat den IT-Giganten zum Umdenken bewegt, sondern Medienberichten zufolge „strategische Gründe“ und günstigere Preise. „Anstatt sich bei Bekanntwerden der menschenunwürdigen Arbeitsbedingungen aus der Affäre zu ziehen, sollte Apple Verbesserungen der Arbeitsbedingungen gemeinsam mit seinen Zulieferern umsetzen“, kritisiert Andrea Ben Lassoued, Leiterin der Südwind Kampagne Clean-IT.
Leslie T. Chang, author of Factory Girls, received a standing ovation when she closed her TED Talk about the lives, aspirations, and—above all—upward mobility of China’s workers who make our products. Jenny Chan, co-author of 'Separate Dreams: Apple, Foxconn and a New Generation of Chinese Workers', forthcoming, asks what is life really like for China’s 262 million rural migrant workers, the core of the new working class?
Japanese semiconductor manufacturer Renesas persists in refusal to respect labour rights in Malaysia
Last April 4th, some 90 civil society organisations from Malyasia and abroad called on Japanese semiconductor manufacturer Renesas operating in Malaysia to recognise the Electronic Industry Employees Union Western Region Peninsular Malaysia (EIEUWR). The union first applied for recognition in January 2010. More than 3 years later Renesas Semiconductor KL Sdn Bhdis still refusing to accord recognition to the union. Renesas has also failed to respond to the widely supported call to stop its delaying tactics. Workers at Renesas are still refused the benefits of a collective bargaining agreement. When is Renesas finally going to answer to these urgent call to respect labour rights? Hitachi, Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation own big Mitsubishi Electric Corporation