Apple's never been one of my favorite companies, and the recent news is not helping to persuade me. If you haven't heard Apple is releasing their new iPhone 5S; as well as their colorful model, the iPhone 5C, which boasts different color options. The phones themselves seem rather interesting and the hardware inside is really impressive, but how can you have high-end equipment and still keep the pices down? This is the side of the story that Apple doesn't want you to know. In order to cut costs Apple has signed contracts with companies that have unfair labor practices and unsafe conditions.
     Apple's partner companies have employed over 10,000 student workers. These workers use some of their take home pay for classes as well as for transportation to these classes. This doesn't sound too bad. kids, aged 16 to 18, working a couple of hours to pay for their education? Well reports by 200 undecover CLW Investigators show that a "couple hours" is not anywhere close to what's going on. These kids are working 7 days a week, 12 hours a day. In the article the author says "...80 hours of overtime a month is not uncommon"(Zand). This is outrageous, just put yourself in their shoes.
    I've addressed the long hours which are dangerous by themselves with stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep, but then on top of that they essentially have slave-drivers for bosses. These companies have unpaid, mandatory meetings that they cut-down and publicly humiliate their workers. The one person interviewed said they stand in a line like a "military roll call" just to be yelled at by their group leader.  Also they require pregnant women to stand for periods of 8 hours. This can cause a lot of pain and problems in the lower back as well as knees for these women, not just short term problems either. Another person that was interviewed said he had been injured and was bleeding heavily; instead of going to get proper medical equipment and solving the problem he waited 40 minutes to receive some "industrial grade plastic tape". This isn't my ideal way of fixing a wound.
   Unfortunately one of the most popular companies in the United States is not doing their part in social justice. This is sad to see because of their large backing by society. My anger towards this company is  growing exponentially and will continue to grow until this issue is resolved.

Schmundt, Hilmar, and Bernhard Zand. "Apple Faces Fresh Criticism of Factories." Portside. N.p., 29 July 2013. Web. 17 Sept. 2013

http://portside.org/2013-07-29/apple-faces-fresh-criticism-factories