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Apple CEO Tim Cook is trying to set the record straight on his company's approach to labor issues, in response to the bleak picture painted of how it treats employees in its supply chain. Cook responded to a New York Times article calling the working conditions in the factories Apple build its products "unsafe." The article quotes both former and current Apple executives that assert the company takes shortcuts that put the safety of workers in jeopardy, something Tim Cook refuted completely. "As a company and as individuals, we are defined by our values. Unfortunately some people are questioning Apple's values today, and I'd like to address this with you directly," Cook said in a letter to employees. "We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain. Any accident is deeply troubling, and any issue with working conditions is cause for concern. Any suggestion that we don't care is patently false and offensive to us." Cook went on to say that he is unaware of any manufacturer in Apple's industry that is doing as much as the company is to ensure proper working conditions in its supply chain. The CEO did not deny that there are problems in the supply chain or more issues could surface in the future, but Cook stressed that Apple would never "turn a blind eye" to them. Reports of poor working conditions in Apple's supply chain overseas have recurred periodically in the past, including news of explosions in factories where iPads are manufactured. The company recently joined the Fair Labor Association and performed 229 audits of its factories last year to uncover potential issues, but Apple has not clarified what plans it has to correct any lingering issues. Cook's reaction to the article's portrait is not surprising. Protecting Apple's image is in the best interest of the CEO, one reason some may not just take his word at face value. Others will likely remain skeptical of what the full truth actually is. Regardless of whether or not allegations against Apple are true, the article is likely to make the company work even harder to clear up any issues that surface as quickly as it possibly can, and could spur a more open dialogue about the labor practices that help build the mobile devices consumers buy.
Apple Defends Its Working Conditions originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:25 pm.
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