Apple 'Deeply Offended' By BBC Investigation Claiming Poor Working Conditions In Chinese Factories
CUPERTINO (CBS SF) -- Apple is under fire again over working conditions for people who make its products, following a BBC investigation that alleges poor treatment of workers in Chinese factories.
The tech giant has since responded to the BBC report, at least internally. According to The Telegraph, a memo sent by Apple senior vice president Jeff Williams to UK employees said that he and CEO Tim Cook were "deeply offended by the suggestion that Apple would break a promise to the workers in our supply chain."
BBC aired the controversial report on the "Panorama" show earlier this week, which sent undercover reporters to secretly film the iPhone production line in factories outside of Shanghai.
One reporter making parts for Apple computers claimed he had to work 18 days without a day off. Other workers were filmed falling asleep while on their 12-hour shifts.
Over the last few years, Apple has been providing "progress reports" on the state of working conditions across its facilities around the world after poor conditions were exposed following 14 suicides by workers at its Foxxconn supplier in China.
Apple's website displays those ongoing audit results, showing things like work-hour compliance. In October, the most recent reporting period, Apple was at 85 percent compliance.
"Panoroma" reporters argue that Apple's efforts toward improving working conditions does sync up with the company's public statements.
"I will not dive into every issue raised by Panorama in this note, but you can rest assured that we take all allegations seriously, and we investigate every claim," Williams wrote, according to the alleged memo. "We know there are a lot of issues out there, and our work is never done. We will not rest until every person in our supply chain is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve."
