Fair Trade

Hi, I am a loyal consumer of Apple and have been using Apple products since the iPod nano was first released and I really enjoy utilizing your innovative technology because it is very beneficial for my family and friends. I still think Apple has the best fingertip touch sensitivity to the screen and profound digital resolution among all of the companies out there. As a concerned consumer, I usually pay attention to your company's fair trade and conflict mineral free technology news and I am very disappointed at what I saw yesterday. Apple has been ignoring the suggestions of fair trade, delivery times and wages. Most of the supplier responsibility information on apple.com disguised the horrible facts behind a lot of the manufacture companies and Foxconn Technology Group is one of the companies that has a high percentage of suicide attempt , 17 workers have jumped off a building and died in 2010 because the workers couldn't handle the overwhelmed stress and excessive and involuntary overtime. Workers work 120 hours a month during the peak production time and it still hasn't been corrected yet, it violated the Labour Law because workers should work more than 36 hours a week. This has a very negative impact on a lot of consumers and it is absolutely unacceptable for me to look at the statistics and information that were shown on the social responsibly related websites. Moreover, apple.com stated that there isn't any student workers involvement in all kinds of production process but it is not true. There are 119 vocational schools in Chongqing, China have promised to send students over to the factories and work in Foxconn, if they don't compromise with the school then they will be dismissed. Foxconn explained that students were experiencing an internship in their company but how is that excuse reasonable if it constituted 50% of the workforce in some of the departments? Students were being exploited as well when they aren't even allowed to exempt overtime work. Most importantly, 50% of the interviewed workers don't know the existence of the labour union which is extremely absurd to hear. Furthermore, Apple has been investigating more information pertaining to the supply chains for too long but there is still a lack of action and resolution for it. As a main leader of the electronic industry, only conducting investigations the suppliers of the 3Ts (tin, tungsten, and tantalum) and gold is not enough. Engage more in dialogue with stakeholders and refining the transparency would be an effective short term solution to regain me and other Apple's consumers' faith. In a long term wise, Apple should keep updating their status on their official website about supplier responsibility and illustrate a significant reformation but not providing simulated information to delude us. I know Apple gives a list of supplier sustainability report on the supplier responsibility page, however it only illustrates the names but