In the city of Suzhou several Chinese employees were poisoned by the chemical n-hexane. They were exposed to this dangerous substance while cleaning parts for Apple. Although the potential risks were well known by Wintek , a Taiwan-owned electronics giant, they still decided to switch from alcohol to n-hexane because it dried more swiftly. Wintek doesn’t want to say anything about who it’s working for and even Apple won’t reveal who it’s working with. Apple says they have a strict code of conduct which sets requirements for working and environmental practices. Despite a 2010 audit which shows that many manufactures don’t follow this code Apple claims to be innocent.
Apple doesn’t take its responsibility. If subcontractors don’t follow the code of conduct Apple should intervene. And because of their product secrecy it’s impossible to ensure workers' rights are protected
Apple is a giant multinational with a quarterly profit of more than $3bn. They should spend some more money on ensuring safe working conditions. After all employees are one of the most important stakeholders!
Dries Vander Meeren
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