Apple CEO Tim Cook is “deeply offended” by the BBC after the broadcasting station’s investigative show Panorama claimed that the tech giant failed to protect its factory workers in China.
The makers of the show sent undercover reporters to the Pegatron factories in Shanghai, where it allegedly found evidence of a mistreatment of its employees and a breach of standards in regards to the amount of hours workers put in, with employees putting in over 60 hours a week due to overtime being built into their shifts – meaning that they are working longer hours than Apple’s guidelines allow.
An image of an Apple employee falling asleep whilst working due to exhaustion.
Footage from the show revealed exhausted employees falling asleep on their lunch breaks, while others fell asleep whilst working. An employee working in a managerial position is shown telling the workers: “If you fall asleep and lean against machines that are connected with electricity and a live wire, you will be gone.”
Protests had previously been held in China back in 2010, after 14 workers in Apple’s iPhone factories committed suicide allegedly due to the pressures of the job. Apple then published promises claiming that they would protect their workers, though the Panorama special seems to indicate that not much has changed in 4 years.
Watch video footage of the special below:
In an email sent to over 5,000 UK employees where Panorama was aired, Apple senior vice president of operations Jeff Williams said that both he and Tim Cook were “deeply offended” by the BBC’s allegations. “Panorama’s report implied that Apple isn’t improving working conditions,” Williams wrote. “Let me tell you, nothing could be further from the truth.”
According to Williams, Apple had issued checks on the amount of hours that factory workers were putting in, with the results showing that factories had a 93% compliance rate with the company’s guidelines. “We know there are a lot of issues out there, and our work is never done,” he continued. “We will not rest until every person in our supply chain is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.”
Managers at the Pegatron factory have also released a statement following the Panorama special, saying that they are taking “all necessary actions” to redeem themselves following the BBC show.
