Fair Labor Association

Foxconn, which makes more of our electronic devices than any other manufacturer in the world, said it would improve pay and working conditions in its Chinese factories, according to a new report, a move that could lead to higher costs for U.S. firms. Nearly all leading high-tech companies in the United States rely on Foxconn to produce their most popular gadgets, including Apple's iPad, Microsoft's Xbox gaming console and personal computers from Dell and Hewlett-Packard. The pledge, which could also propel...

Apple said that underage workers were allowed to work at its supplier plants in China because labor agents in the country faked paperwork to make workers appear older than they were. The company said Friday that it terminated its relationship with the supplier, Guangdong Real Faith Pingzhou Electronics Co., after discovering instances of underage workers. The report says Apple also traced the source of the faked paperwork to a central third-party labor agent, called Quanshun.

A Chinese man reportedly killed himself last month in response to treatment from his employer, Foxlink — a firm that supplies components to Apple. According to a report from the IDG News Service , He Cheng jumped to his death from the sixth floor of a company building on Sept. 29, just 20 days after beginning work there. His family told the news service that he was despondent after managers at the company denied his request for three days of personal leave in order to visit his family on a national holiday.

Foxconn, a major supplier to technology companies such as Apple and Microsoft, admitted Tuesday that it hired 14-year-old interns, breaking Chinese law. The company's Yantai factory is at fault, having employed a number of interns under the legal age of 16 for three weeks. Foxconn says that the facility that hired the interns does not deal with Apple products, and that it is launching an investigations into the decision and those behind it. It also mentioned that this is not only against Chinese law, but...

A non-governmental organization is accusing Apple supplier Foxconn of hiding underage workers ahead of an inspection. VentureBeat.com reports: Foxconn, the Chinese manufacturer that Apple heavily relies on for its products, may have tried to clean up its act before inspectors from the Fair Labor Association descended on its factories, according to a Hong Kong non-governmental organization dedicated to workers rights. Foxconn allegedly pushed underage employees out of sight before...

Foxconn, the Chinese manufacturer that Apple heavily relies on for its products, may have tried to clean up its act before inspectors from the Fair Labor Association descended on its factories, according to a Hong Kong non-governmental organization dedicated to workers rights. Foxconn allegedly pushed underage employees out of sight before the FLA inspection, Debby Sze Wan Chan, a project officer from Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM), tells AppleInsider ...

In the world of global manufacturing, it seems that multinational corporations are destined to take their turn in the sweatshop spotlight. Apple's turn, merely the latest, has taken an unusual twist. Chief executive Tim Cook, on a trip to China this past week, visited a Foxconn factory and released photos of grinning workers on the iPhone production line. Cook's trip came after months of investigations, centered on Foxconn, of Apple's alleged sweatshop conditions. As the story gained momentum —...

After helping This American Life sift through the monologue of performer Mike Daisey, NPR Marketplace reporter Rob Schmitz got his own look at the Shenzhen plant of Apple supplier Foxconn in southern China. Schmitz reports that 99 percent of the nearly quarter-million workers at the factory are migrant workers who are earning money for workers back home. Workers, on average, are 18 t0 25 years old. Following the assembly of the iPad through several production lines, Schmitz shows viewers how...

Foxconn resumed production Tuesday at its facility in Taiyuan, China, after a fight involving 2,000 workers halted production for a full day. The Taiyuan facility is in northern China and has 79,000 employees and makes automobile electronic components, precision moldings and consumer electronic components, according to a statement from Foxconn sent to The Washington Post. The one-day shutdown is expected to have a small impact on the supply lines of its clients....

Foxconn, a major supplier to technology companies such as Apple and Microsoft, admitted Tuesday that it hired 14-year-old interns, breaking Chinese law. The company's Yantai factory is at fault, having employed a number of interns under the legal age of 16 for three weeks. Foxconn says that the facility that hired the interns does not deal with Apple products, and that it is launching an investigations into the decision and those behind it. It also mentioned that this is not only against...

A Chinese man reportedly killed himself last month in response to treatment from his employer, Foxlink — a firm that supplies components to Apple. According to a report from the IDG News Service , He Cheng jumped to his death from the sixth floor of a company building on Sept. 29, just 20 days after beginning work there. His family told the news service that he was despondent after managers at the company denied his request for three days of personal leave in order to visit his family on a national holiday.

Foxconn resumed production Tuesday at its facility in Taiyuan, China, after a fight involving 2,000 workers halted production for a full day. The Taiyuan facility is in northern China and has 79,000 employees and makes automobile electronic components, precision moldings and consumer electronic components, according to a statement from Foxconn sent to The Washington Post. The one-day shutdown is expected to have a small impact on the supply lines of its clients....

Foxconn, which applies and assembles electronics for several top electronics companies, has closed down one of its plants after a fight broke out in a company dormitory in the northern Chinese city of Taiyuan. According to the Associated Press , it's not clear what started the fight, but as many as 2,000 workers may have been involved. About 40 people were taken to the hospital, according to reports from the AP and state-run Chinese news sources. Xinhua News Agency reported that the fight...

A report from The New York Times has highlighted complaints that Foxconn, which assembles components for Apple and other technology companies, has been forcing vocational student workers to make iPhones. The accusations come from two groups, which have been following Foxconn's practices closely: A Taiwanese group called Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior and the New York-based group China Labor Watch. China Labor Watch has also been vocal lately about working conditions in...

After helping This American Life sift through the monologue of performer Mike Daisey, NPR Marketplace reporter Rob Schmitz got his own look at the Shenzhen plant of Apple supplier Foxconn in southern China. Schmitz reports that 99 percent of the nearly quarter-million workers at the factory are migrant workers who are earning money for workers back home. Workers, on average, are 18 t0 25 years old. Following the assembly of the iPad through several production lines, Schmitz shows viewers how workers...

In the world of global manufacturing, it seems that multinational corporations are destined to take their turn in the sweatshop spotlight. Apple's turn, merely the latest, has taken an unusual twist. Chief executive Tim Cook, on a trip to China this past week, visited a Foxconn factory and released photos of grinning workers on the iPhone production line. Cook's trip came after months of investigations, centered on Foxconn, of Apple's alleged sweatshop conditions. As the story gained momentum — in part because of...

The public radio program "This American Life" retracted its story "Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory" on Friday, saying that the piece "contained significant fabrications. " The piece, which was broadcast in January, helped set off a protest movement that grew after the New York Times ran articles on conditions in factories that are a part of Apple's supply chain. The radio program was based on Mike Daisey's show, "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs," which debuted in Washington in...

Foxconn, which applies and assembles electronics for several top electronics companies, has closed down one of its plants after a fight broke out in a company dormitory in the northern Chinese city of Taiyuan. According to the Associated Press , it's not clear what started the fight, but as many as 2,000 workers may have been involved. About 40 people were taken to the hospital, according to reports from the AP and state-run Chinese news sources. Xinhua News Agency reported that the fight...

Foxconn, which makes more of our electronic devices than any other manufacturer in the world, said it would improve pay and working conditions in its Chinese factories, according to a new report, a move that could lead to higher costs for U.S. firms. Nearly all leading high-tech companies in the United States rely on Foxconn to produce their most popular gadgets, including Apple's iPad, Microsoft's Xbox gaming console and personal computers from Dell and Hewlett-Packard. The pledge, which could also propel...

The public radio program "This American Life" retracted its story "Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory" on Friday, saying that the piece "contained significant fabrications. " The piece, which was broadcast in January, helped set off a protest movement that grew after the New York Times ran articles on conditions in factories that are a part of Apple's supply chain. The radio program was based on Mike Daisey's show, "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs," which ...