Another record breaking year for Apple..

[Spinedriver]

It really is a shame that they can't move 500,000 manufacturing jobs to the U.S/Canada. If only they had enough money to pay people here a decent wage....

Apple Posts Over $46 Billion in Q1 Revenues - IGN

[MacTown09]

They wouldnt even need much more money to pay workers here. I saw some info that should it would only cost like $1.20 per unit more to make an iphone here. sucks.

[Stealthdjentstic]

Apple recently had an issue with mass suicides at the factories of certain suppliers. Pretty weird.

[AngstRiddenDreams]

Originally Posted by Stealthdjentstic

Apple recently had an issue with mass suicides at the factories of certain suppliers. Pretty weird.

Stealth!!! You're alive!!! I was worried, then DjPharoh told me you requested a ban.
Anywho, mass suicides? Uhm...strange...

[Spinedriver]

The Foxconn factory had to put up nets in between the buildings because the employees were jumping out the windows. The people there have 3 choices:

1. Work 60+ hours a week for roughly $35.
2. Starve because you have no money and no 'social services' whatsoever to help out.
3. Jump off a building and be done with it.

Granted, the factories are not owned or operated by Apple per se but with their kind of money & influence they could easily get things changed.

[Randy]

Originally Posted by MacTown09

They wouldnt even need much more money to pay workers here. I saw some info that should it would only cost like $1.20 per unit more to make an iphone here. sucks.

I thought I heard it was more like $60 but that's on the MSRP anyway. I also heard that the factories work around the clock and workers make ~$15 a day.

I'd be more than happy to pay an extra $60 if that means American jobs and not having my stuff built in slave conditions.

[Origin]

Originally Posted by Randy

I thought I heard it was more like $60 but that's on the MSRP anyway. I also heard that the factories work around the clock and workers make ~$15 a day.

I'd be more than happy to pay an extra $60 if that means American jobs and not having my stuff built in slave conditions.

This. If a company's already making a shitload of money and THEN allow what is essentially modern slavery to make a little more, I can't help but find them fiendish. If it's your only way of getting product at a price you can break even at, sure, you're in a tight spot and a gray area, but jesus christ.

I know it's not directly their factory, just....it's just ....ed.

[vampiregenocide]

Originally Posted by Stealthdjentstic

Apple recently had an issue with mass suicides at the factories of certain suppliers. Pretty weird.

Yeah I've heard about that. The factories really push the workers hard. They work in pretty hostile conditions, with no breaks and for long hours.

[Stealthdjentstic]

Yeah its pretty pathetic seeing as they have a $425B market cap

[3salvation]

Originally Posted by Origin

This. If a company's already making a shitload of money and THEN allow what is essentially modern slavery to make a little more, I can't help but find them fiendish. If it's your only way of getting product at a price you can break even at, sure, you're in a tight spot and a gray area, but jesus christ.

I know it's not directly their factory, just....it's just ....ed.

But You take that factory away and thousands of families will be starving while in States most would find another job.
It is slowly changing for better in China and their economy is growing while most of Western ones are shrinking or are flat at best. This is where the world borrows its money from these days. In 50 years time they might feel sorry for us on their 'guitar forums'. Time will tell.

[Spinedriver]

Originally Posted by 3salvation

But You take that factory away and thousands of families will be starving while in States most would find another job.
It is slowly changing for better in China and their economy is growing while most of Western ones are shrinking or are flat at best. This is where the world borrows its money from these days. In 50 years time they might feel sorry for us on their 'guitar forums'. Time will tell.

You do have a point in that they need the work, however easily 80% of the world's electronics devices are made in China. If one manufacturer (Apple) picked up and moved, I'm sure they would survive.

As for the pay, in 2010 the starting wage for a Foxconn employee was $135 a month.

In the same year, Apple reported that they were making 48-58% PROFIT on every iPad sold. No other company that I can think of makes profit like that on a product. The thing is, with more and more stores going under due to online retailers, the only new 'jobs' being created are call centers and restaurants. If Apple were to open a manufacturing plant, it would mean long term employment with plenty of room to advance. Whereas unless you want to get into marketing, a call center is pretty much a dead end job.

[3salvation]

Originally Posted by Spinedriver

You do have a point in that they need the work, however easily 80% of the world's electronics devices are made in China. If one manufacturer (Apple) picked up and moved, I'm sure they would survive.

On a countrywide scale it would't mean much (same as to US) but on a local scale - just look at the conditions/terms they do that work and You can sort of guess what it means to them. I'm not saying it's right. All I'm saying is that it's better than nothing.

Originally Posted by Spinedriver

As for the pay, in 2010 the starting wage for a Foxconn employee was $135 a month.

You know that You can't really compare the wages to Western standards?

Originally Posted by Spinedriver

In the same year, Apple reported that they were making 48-58% PROFIT on every iPad sold. No other company that I can think of makes profit like that on a product.

It is (Far East) Capitalist' paradise for Western companies, no question about it. Salary level and worker's output they get is precisely the reason they went there in the first place. Language, cultural, political and distance barriers which at the start one would consider as a massive obstacles were overcome fairly quickly.
Now ask yourself, as a chief executive would You go from 50% down to 20% profit? How many shareholders would back You up?
All I... well hope really is that for people up there is still better in the long term. For us it's better now because the price of the product (if made in US) would not be higher by 1.20$ as someone mentioned it'd tripled, quadrupled or more.

Originally Posted by Spinedriver

The thing is, with more and more stores going under due to online retailers, the only new 'jobs' being created are call centers and restaurants. If Apple were to open a manufacturing plant, it would mean long term employment with plenty of room to advance. Whereas unless you want to get into marketing, a call center is pretty much a dead end job

Don't worry about jobs in US in that respect as I think most of the profit still ends up there. This is where shareholders spend their money. It's less obvious than a factory that provides jobs directly but these people buy cars, homes, yachts, go to restaurants...etc

[Demiurge]

Apple iNett: Back To Work! - Video @ Teamcoco.com

Worker suicide problem solved.