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At least eleven 15-year-old children were discovered to be working last year in three factories, which supply Apple. Apple supplier Foxconn also faced allegations of abusive conditions that led to a spate of suicides about a decade ago. Still, Apple has faced criticism for its labor practices in the past, particularly in China. Some Uighur workers have told human rights groups that they were given a choice between taking a job in a far-flung factory or being sent to a detention center. It was a remarkable rise for a young woman who hailed from a poor village and began as a factory worker herself. About 7.74 percent of children between the ages of 10-15 are laborers although the legal working age in China is 16. Zhou Qunfei, Lens Technology’s founder and CEO, rose to prominence in 2015, when the company she founded from the ground up went public. Zhou used her modest savings to build a lens supply business, becoming one of the world’s few female self-made billionaires. Lately, Apple suppliers and manufacturers are running into a lot of troubles. This article has been updated with additional comment from Apple. The lobbyists are trying to water down the bill, according to congressional staffers. Rosenstock said Lens was one of the audited suppliers. Apple, Google, Dell, Microsoft and Tesla have been named in a lawsuit alleging the exploitation of underage labor in the Democratic Republic of … O-Film appears on Apple’s supplier list. 2 Mar 2020 2,967. Something has to be done about the human-rights abuses in China that appear to include slave/forced labor for the benefit of U.S. companies such as Apple. These protections apply across the supply chain, regardless of a person’s job or location. Report: China Sells Minorities Into ‘Forced Labor’ to Benefit Apple, Foxconn, Others. The article says the transfer was arranged by the Xinjiang-Suzhou Chamber of Commerce and was painted as a positive effort to offer jobs to people who are unemployed. The documents unearthed by Tech Transparency Project don’t detail the working conditions in Lens Tech factories. Xinjiang, in the far reaches of Western China bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan and other Muslim-majority countries, is facing a brutal crackdown by China’s government, which has placed more than a million Muslims in concentration camps or forced them to work in factories making everything from cotton to soft drinks to electronics. Hubei is a subsidiary of Dongguan Yidong Electronic, which listed Apple as a customer on its website. It has around 100,000 workers within its 16-company corporate family and it has several factories producing glass for the consumer electronics industry, according to its public filings. Forbes estimates Zhou’s net worth at $15.2 billion, making her the world’s richest self-made woman and putting her just shy of the estate of Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, according to Forbes. As Apple continues to lobby against the Uygher Forced Labor Prevention Act, a bill intended to punish Chinese companies that utilize forced labor from the persecuted Muslim minority group, the Washington Post has just rolled out a lengthy investigation, conducted in partnership with a human-rights group, exposing Apple suppliers’ links to forced labor. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. The China Southern Arlines flight from Hotan to Hunan was covered by a Chinese news agency focused on the airline industry. A report published Sunday by an Australian think tank revealed that as many as 83 internationally known brands – including Nike, BMW, Apple, Sony, Google, Lacoste, and Nintendo – have active ties to factories where evidence suggests … Apple and other tech companies have previously been accused of sourcing raw materials from African mines that purportedly rely on child labor. Uighur workers transferred from Xinjiang to other regions of China are often, if not always, forced or coerced, according to human rights groups and academics who have conducted interviews with people who have escaped the system. 33,705. To get a job, applicants must pass a “political review,” according to the posting, carried out by local police and approved by the National Security Brigade. She told the New York Times at the time that her big break came in 2003, when Motorola executives called her out of the blue and offered her a chance to supply glass screens for the upcoming Razr V3. “Although they are young, most of them have two years of experience,” the article says. The Washington Post - One of the oldest and most well-known iPhone suppliers has been accused of using forced Muslim labor in its factories, according to documents uncovered by a human rights group, adding new scrutiny to Apple’s human rights record in China. It's tempting to say that child labour in China is an outdated issue, at least when you look at the share of the population affected by the problem.Compared to other countries, it isn't nearly as widespread in China. China analysts say the Xinjiang-Suzhou Chamber of Commerce has arranged labor transfers in the past, and its leaders have floated the idea of turning the transfers into a business. One of the oldest and most well-known iPhone suppliers has been accused of using forced Muslim labor in its factories, according to documents uncovered by a human rights group, adding new scrutiny to Apple’s human rights record in China. "Chinese labor … The Xinjiang-Suzhou Chamber of Commerce article refers to “management cadres” accompanying Uighur workers for “logistics support.” According to Byler, “cadres” is often a bureaucratic term for government officials who oversee the political education of the Uighur workers and enforce bans on religious practice. Lens Technology is one of at least five companies connected to Apple’s supply chain that have now been linked to alleged forced labor from the Xinjiang region, according to human rights groups. Child labor is a growing concern. Apple, Nike and Coca-Cola are among the companies lobbying Congress for changes in a bill that would ban goods made with forced labor in China's … Apple has opened an investigation into claims that high-school students are being forced to help assemble models of Apple Watch at a factory in southwest China. That report detailed labor transfers to factories owned by O-Film, Hubei Yihong Precision Manufacturing and Highbroad Advanced Material, all manufacturers with ties to Apple’s supply chain. Some of these labor transfers sent workers to Lens Technology campuses in Hunan, according to an August 2019 article in the Global Times of China. When the iPhone launched in 2007, Lens Technology won the contract to supply the glass screen covering. Apple has finally come clean and admitted that its biggest manufacturing partner is employing school kids for up to 11 hours a day to make their ultra-expensive iPhone X. There is a positive correlation between child labor and school drop out rates. The documents, discovered by the Tech Transparency Project and … Ahead of Apple's new iPhone unveiling set for Tuesday, a New York-based watchdog group released a report accusing the tech giant and its partner Foxconn of breaking Chinese labor laws to … In 2017, Apple discovered that Foxconn had employed high school students to build the iPhone X while working illegal overtime. Apple, among other companies, has dispatched lobbyists to Capitol Hill regarding legislation that would hold U.S. companies accountable for using forced labor from the region, according to Apple’s lobbying disclosure forms. Rosenstock said Hubei and Highbroad have no connection to Apple’s supply chain. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. An investigative report was published last week by Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM), a Hong Kong-based labour rights group. In the evenings, when their shifts end, the Uighur workers say they are forced to take lessons in communist propaganda. 7:32. “Apple claims to take extraordinary measures to monitor its supply chain for such problems, but the evidence we found was openly available on the Internet,” said Paul of the Tech Transparency Project. The company joins several other Apple supply partners said to have benefitted from forced labor in China. The computer giant company, Apple, has admitted that child labor was used at the factories that built its computers, iPods and mobile phones. China has begun taking steps to limit access to government information from outside the country, human rights groups say. Apple spokesman Josh Rosenstock said the company has confirmed that Lens Technology has not received any labor transfers of Uighur workers from Xinjiang. Apple products include thousands of components that are made by suppliers all around the world. He said Apple earlier this year ensured that none of its other suppliers are using Uighur labor transferred from Xinjiang. Apple caught in another child labour scandal Uncovered by the FT rather than its own checks Fruity cargo cult Apple has been hit by another child … A photograph of the Uighur laborers on the plane, wearing masks, shows them holding the “thumbs up” sign, alongside airline staff, who all appear to be Han Chinese, the majority ethnic group in the country. “Apple has zero tolerance for forced labor,” Rosenstock said. But the text of the article uses language that human rights groups say reveals the workers might not be going by choice. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images. Technology giant Apple has admitted that child labour has been employed at some of the factories that build its iPods, computers and mobile phones. See our, Read a limited number of articles each month, You consent to the use of cookies and tracking by us and third parties to provide you with personalized ads, Unlimited access to washingtonpost.com on any device, Unlimited access to all Washington Post apps, No on-site advertising or third-party ad tracking. Amazon spokeswoman Samantha Kruse declined to comment. Corporate giants including Nike face growing calls to cut ties with suppliers alleged to be using "forced labour" from China's Uighur people. In some cases, workers have said that when they “accept” the job, they live in heavily guarded campuses and are rarely allowed to leave. O-Film appears on Apple’s supplier list. China: Apple accused of violating labour laws as employees at iPhone factory found working 100 hours of overtime & being ‘punished’ for not meeting targets; Incl. Much of the evidence detailing which factories receive allegedly forced labor from Xinjiang comes from webpages that are publicly available in China, but can be difficult to find. Thousands of workers gathered outside Apple supplier Wistron earlier this month in Southern India to protest working conditions. We rely on readers like you to uphold a free press. Apple investigates report that Chinese students were forced to make its watches The report also pointed to an overwork problem at the factory. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. That report detailed labor transfers to factories owned by O-Film, Hubei Yihong Precision Manufacturing and Highbroad Advanced Material, all manufacturers with ties to Apple’s supply chain. It has also recently spread to India, where Apple has been building up its manufacturing base. Apple sailed into fresh controversy on Monday over conditions at its Chinese suppliers’ factories amid allegations of child labour, forced overtime and illegal 66-hour working weeks. Still it highlights the consequences of unregulated development in the race to bring costs down, as a response to consumer demand for ever cheaper products. Human rights workers say news articles like these are the result of coordinated government propaganda. As always, our focus is on making sure everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and we will continue doing all we can to protect workers in our supply chain.”. One study found that on average, a child who works 6.75 hours a day has 6.42 fewer hours to study. Researchers say the articles are sometimes taken down before they are discovered by human rights groups. (Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.). We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. In a previous report, the Tech Transparency Project alleged the cotton T-shirts worn by Apple Store employees were also sourced from forced labor in Xinjiang. “Looking for the presence of forced labor is part of every supplier assessment we conduct, including surprise audits. Apple publishes an annual progress report documenting its results. The Australian report also alleged a transfer of Uighur laborers to Foxconn’s “iPhone city,” the largest assembly plant for iPhones. co. comments In September 2019, China Labor Watch released a report revealing numerous labour rights violations at the Zhengzhou Foxconn factory, the largest iPhone factory in the world. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. Apple’s longtime supplier accused of using forced labor in China, Employees in the workshop of Lens Technology in 2015 in Liuyang, a city in China’s Hunan province. “The cadres have the authority to send people back to Xinjiang, place them in camps,” Byler said. Apple Inc. and manufacturing partner Foxconn violated a Chinese labor rule by using too many temporary staff in the world’s largest iPhone factory, the … Rosenstock has said Apple doesn’t receive shirts from Xinjiang, but would not say whether the company ever did in the past. The Chinese government does not permit human rights groups to enter the country to interview laborers or observe conditions. The notice instructs local towns and villages to publicize the effort in order to get voluntary sign-ups. Study: Nike, Apple, BMW Among 83 Brands Using Chinese Muslim Slave Labor. Rosenstock said Wistron has been put on probation. In other words, we all share a part of responsibility in this. An … The Chinese government has helped facilitate the transfer of workers out of Xinjiang to work in electronics factories all over China. Whether the Uighurs are paid, and exactly how much, is unclear. Human Rights Group Alleges Apple’s Supplier Using Forced Labor in China Posted by Mahit Huilgol on Dec 29, 2020 in News. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Last month, Foxconn … In another alleged propaganda video, posted online in 2019, Uighur workers are seen attending a National Day celebration in front of a red banner that reads “All Workers Sent by the Kashgar Region Human Resources and Social Security Bureau to Lens Tech: Welcome National Day — Sing Red Songs. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. As part of the review, the notice says, information on Uighur workers will then be sent to the Integrated Joint Operations Platform. In February, Uighur workers from Xinjiang destined for a Lens Technology factory were among the first passengers to fly on a chartered flight within China after the pandemic shut down civil aviation, according to an article highlighted in the Tech Transparency Project’s report. The documents, discovered by the Tech Transparency Project and shared exclusively with The Washington Post, detail how thousands of Uighur workers from the predominantly Muslim region of Xinjiang were sent to work for Lens Technology. (AFP/Getty Images). Apple has discovered multiple cases of child labour in its supply chain, including one Chinese company that employed 74 children under the age of 16, … “Our research shows that Apple’s use of forced labor in its supply chain goes far beyond what the company has acknowledged,” said Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project. Lens Technology stands out from other Apple component suppliers because of its high-profile founder and long, well-documented history going back to the early days of the iPhone. In response to faxed questions from The Post, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing called forced labor in China “nonexistent” and accused people with “ulterior motives“ of fabricating it. Apple benefits from forced Uighur labor at its iPhone supplier factories in China, according to an explosive new report Isobel Asher Hamilton 2020-03-02T13:16:49Z (AFP/Getty Images), Zhou Qunfei, the chairwoman and president of Lens Technology, in 2015. Highbroad’s annual report lists Apple supplier BOE Technology Group as its biggest customer. While some suppliers are small or work for Apple through middlemen, Apple has a much closer relationship with its major suppliers such as Lens. In state media and other official channels, the Chinese government has announced transfers of workers from Xinjiang to factories outside the region, often specifying the specific factories where the laborers are destined to work. With its stock more than doubling over the last year, Lens Technology is now worth more than $130 billion. Byler said it is the first time he has seen direct evidence that the Integrated Joint Operations Platform has been used in China’s “forced labor scheme,” as he calls it. Byler said the Chinese government’s use of forced labor in the Xinjiang region has long been established, but has stepped up since 2017, when the most recent crackdown on Uighurs began. Paul said the alleged use of forced labor in Apple’s supply chain “may explain why the company is lobbying against a bill now before Congress that would sanction companies for their involvement in human rights abuses in China.” Rosenstock said it is “false to suggest we ‘dispatched lobbyists’ to Capitol Hill.". This content is currently not available in your region. Any violation of our policies has immediate consequences, including possible business termination. It said a number of companies had hired auditors to conduct investigations, which “confirmed the nonexistence of ‘forced labor.’“ It did not name the companies. Be grateful to The Party.” Kashgar is a city in the Xinjiang region. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. The company has a supplier code of conduct and says it assessed 1,142 suppliers in 49 countries in 2019, ensuring that good labor conditions are upheld. A March report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute that implicated four Apple suppliers in alleged forced labor transfers relied in part on publicly available documents. “There’s really no way to give informed consent in Xinjiang any longer because the threat of extrajudicial detention is so extreme,” said Darren Byler, an anthropologist at the University of Colorado at Boulder who studies Uighur migrants. Poor treatment of workers in the Chinese factories which make Apple products is discovered by an undercover BBC Panorama investigation. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Gretchen Whitmer Removes $220M Meant for Michigan Unemployment Fund From COVID Relief Bill, Washington region records most daily virus deaths since start of the pandemic. The Chamber of Commerce highlighted the use of its “paramilitary” style of managing the workers to keep them “organized, disciplined, regulated,” according to the article. 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