Unfortunately I don't think Apple is being singled out here: plenty of other companies have this spotlight on them. Apple just comes into focus because they are getting a higher profile than previously.

Though, I'd like to know what the options are today. It used to be that we (in the UK, probably the rest of Europe too) would get Apple kit made in Ireland, but now everything's from China.

The only thing that would change this equation of industry migrating to where the cheap labour is would be the cost of transportation becoming higher than the economies that can be made - ie even more expensive energy bills.

And no one wants that.

Let's see, are we all just ignoring the pertinent facts to focus on the details that you might be able to argue are "OK"?

First, one plant's workers live in dormitories (and I get the impression that's a requirement, not a suggestion), and work 15 hours a day (what could be more fun? They do have the honor of working on iPods, after all.) They also aren't allowed visitors. Gee, what nice hosts.

Second, the other plant's workers are forced to live in the company's off-plant housing, buying all food from same said company.

I'm sorry, why not have a vote among posters here who'd like to work under either of those restrictions, regardless of your pay.

Your right, I was thinking weeks.

But the rural per capita in China is under $900.00 a year. The $2000.00 a year is the average for professionals in Bejieng and Hong Kong. Based on that, the wage is still about middle ground.

What do US assembly workers earn here and where does that fall in our income range?

Don't get me wrong. I don't think it's right. Inexpensive luxury items aren't worth the exploitaion of other countries' workers. Non U.S. companies avail themselves of the really cheap price from the slave labor in the prisons.

But as long as shareholders demand more from their investment than that the company make good products and stay in the black and perhaps return a small dividend, manufacturing is going to look for cheaper and cheaper labor.

And yet, the first world infusion of jobs and money into those nations does improve the lives of a great many who otherwise would be at bare subsistence living, as they were just a short while ago.

Now, if we'll just abandon the stupid "trade deficit" pressure on those countries to buy as much from us as we do from them, they may have half a chance real progress.

Are factory workers in the west middle class? Most people do spend half of a single income on housing and food or even more than that. You guys in the US don't even have a national health care or a minimum wage, just another 3 world.

The blame is not entirely on the companies or their investors. Consumers want more 'stuff' at ever cheaper prices. How many of you look at the "Made in..." language on a product BEFORE you purchase it? How many of you REFUSE to purchase products made in China or other countries that don't live up to your standards? How many of you are really willing to pay a 20%-50% higher price on an identical item that was made in USA/Europe rather than 3rd world?

These types of factories in China are nothing new and provide jobs for the unskilled laborers who live outside the cities. In China that means almost 1 billion people. The workers are housed in dormitory style housing and are given meals. They all send money home to their relatives in their towns and villages. Typically they work there for a few years and then go back home to get married.

Although $50 per month doesn't sound like a lot of money it is a lot more than most of these workers would be able to make doing anything else. There are no jobs available for them locally and most stop going to school to help support their families. They probably send 70% of their money home and that money will buy an awful lot out in the country.

I'd like to see Apple and other large corporations join a program that sends auditors on unannounced visits to these plants to check on the working conditions. Some auto manufactures participate in this.

I think Apple is getting the mention because of how successful iPods are. Dirt on iPods in the headlines sale.

Now as for the bigger problem, the issue is greed. Pure and simple. People want to get ahead and live a comfortable lifestyle. But in order for that to happen, somebody else MUST not be able to.

Business is survival of the fittest (or nastiest or most cut throat or rudest or whatever). In short, life as we know it is not fair. :-(

Our economies are increasingly dependant on 3rd world slave labour which operate in special free trade compounds which are essentially police states. There are no environmental restrictions, labour restrictions, or human rights restrictions.

We have all got used to the idea that all our textiles come from such places. It's not Nike - it's every shoe maker, and every fashion brand. More recently, electronics have moved under the same system of exploitation. Again, it's not that iPods or Macs are a problem in particular, it's that the components that go into any computer or electronic gadget are made in this way.

Ironically, the one area where there has been *some* progress is food. We can buy fair trade coffee or chocolate, but try buying a fair trade DVD player.

In short, we are the bloodsuckers of the poor. The only thing we can do about the problem is radically alter the distribution of power from multinational corporations (and their governments) to people on the ground. As consumers, we do not benefit anywhere near as much as the manufacturers. Nonetheless, as citizens we are responsible for legitimating corporate power. We may get slightly cheaper goods today, but we'll be getting it at the cost of millions of lives, the sustainability of the planet, and political chaos.

But, I guess that's what happens when you create laws that oblige business to value short term profits over all other values. By law, short term profits are more important than any other human value. Whether it's genocide or utopia, the highest value to man is short term profits. It's the law.

Laws can be changed.

If you own an iPod and your complaining STFU please. Unless you willing to throw an extra $50 to $100 to the price of your next iPod STFU. Thats right America you are fueling the problem, either accept it and STFU or expect to pay more for you iPods. I was going to offer option C and tell you to stop buying iPods but I know thats really not an option.

I'm glad that people are seeing the facts here. I am concerned about labor abuse and will not put my money where I don't like their methods.

However, from the MacNN extract, the workers work long days (which many people do), they get paid the going rate in their country, and they are housed in a building that is secure, and does not allow strangers in.

This kind of article is crying wolf. If there's a problem, I want to know about it. But if there's no problem, don't get people worked up over nothing. They won't be prepared to listen when you need them to.

Please, don't kid yourselves. Is it Apple or Nike that is responsible for bad labor conditions? In my opinion its the consumer who purchases the goods--you and I.

If everyone was so concerned about bad working conditions overseas than people would deliberately purchase more expensive goods made under better conditions--but they don't. Most people by now know how why goods made overseas are so cheap. Yet somehow I doubt after reading this article it will prevent anyone from walking into a store and buying a new mac, shoe, or whatever. Eventually, conditions will improve in those countries BECAUSE of the outsourcing. Until then, just try not to believe in karma or reincarnation.

40 years ago, cheap labor was in Japan, then they developed to the point that Korea was cheaper, then Pakistan/India, then Taiwan, now it's moved to China. We're always opening up a new Taiwakistan for cheaper labor...

I love it how all these California liberals, with copies of Das Capital tucked into their night stand drawers, love to pick on companies like Apple, all the while ignoring that their great ideals have produced the working conditions that made such exploitation possible. Excuse me, but China is a communist run, totalitarian state, where the government regulates everything. If Apple is exploiting the workers, you can be damn sure it is with the blessings of the communist Chinese government.

I don't see why American only products would be more expensive since we have our own population of unskilled workers available and ready to work for even less. If we open up the borders down south we won't ever see the phrase, "Made in China" on another iPod again.

But show me all the products in your house, let's see if any of them say "Made in China".

Every product to buy that does was produced in similar or worse conditions.

We can't attack the leaders of industry and let everybody else get away with this. If we are going to stand up to this as a country, we need to attack it's roots, the companies.

There was a great documentary on "frontline" (a PBS show). I highly recommend people who are interested in this topic to hunt it down and watch it. very informative.

oops,