Rotten Apple
Just last week, I wrote about the importance in Catholic social teaching of corporate social responsibility, how the corporation itself had a role in pursuing the common good and not simply outsourcing this job to the state. Chiefly, this means that – as Pope Benedict puts it – “business management cannot concern itself only with the interests of the proprietors, but must also assume responsibility for all the other stakeholders who contribute to the life of the business” – workers,suppliers, consumers, the natural environment, and broader society. As the pope says, “there is no justice where profit is the number one criterion”.
With this in mind, I read a rather disturbing report in the New York Times yesterday about the condition of workers in Apple suppliers in China. Reseachers have documented a litany of abuse including poor safety conditions sometimes leading to injury and death, excessive overtime, workers being forced to stand all day and crammed into crowded dorms at night, improper disposal of toxic waste, the use of underage workers, the use of poisonous chemicals, workers being forced to work multiple shifts in a row, workers treated harshly by managers and docked pay for minor infractions..the list goes on.
Let us remember how seriously the Church regards this form of injustice – Gaudium Et Spes lists “disgraceful working conditions, where men are treated as mere tools for profit, rather than as free and responsible persons” as among the most grave infamies. And it was precisely the treatment of workers in the 19th century that gave rise to modern Catholic social teaching, in the passionate demands for justice coming from Pope Leo XIII.
Of course, Apple likes to talk about how highly it takes its social responsibility. But the evidence shows otherwise. At a time when Apple pulls in $13 billion in quarterly earnings, it deliberately tries to twist the screws of its suppliers. As the article notes:
Apple typically asks suppliers to specify how much every part costs, how many workers are needed and the size of their salaries. Executives want to know every financial detail. Afterward, Apple calculates how much it will pay for a part. Most suppliers are allowed only the slimmest of profits. So suppliers often try to cut corners, replace expensive chemicals with less costly alternatives, or push their employees to work faster and longer, according to people at those companies.
With these conditions, is it any surprise that abuses occur? The relationship is symbiotic. The supplier needs the enormous amount of business that Apple will provide, and goes to great lengths to deliver. And Apple, despite the rhetoric, knows that few suppliers have the expertise it needs to deliver high-quality goods very quickly, so is not in a hurry to end a profitable relationship.
Let us remember the rights of workers in Catholic social teaching. The right to decent wages. The right to a safe and healthy working environment. The right to adequate rest. The right to social benefits. The right to form and join unions. The right to profit-sharing and joint ownership of the company.
In China, many of these benefits are denied by the state. But that is no reason for Apple to play along. In fact, it puts a greater onus on Apple to treat its workers with the dignity they deserve.
I just saw show on CCTV today where the “host” said the ideas of democratic focus on a human being is against the aspirations of many to achieve a different level economically. Thus, clearly we are dealing with a very retrograde worldview, and their treatment of various religions, including the RC faith, is just a part of it. They are not ashamed of it. they are announcing it on TV, like it was the weather!
“In China, many of these benefits are denied by the state. But that is no reason for Apple to play along. In fact, it puts a greater onus on Apple to treat its workers with the dignity they deserve.”
But then Apple wouldn’t be able to keep its retail pricing so low … oh, wait …
For the record this is not just a ‘rotten Apple’, but its a rotten system with all the tech giants involved. This is related to Mark Gordon’s ‘Conservative Critique’ a few posts ago. There we were speaking about a ‘de-culturing’ of individuals from family, community, and traditions. Here the emphasis is more on a new form of slavery/exploitation in order to promote what…speed in delivering technological change? We’re not even limited to old fashioned greed anymore, but we’re caught in new forms of greed and obsessions with technological idolatry. Even the socially conscious Appleonians can’t resist. I imagine the fact that Apple recently surpassed Exxon in market capitalization made this more compelling (or ironic) for NYT.
One of the commenters (Agellius) on that post remarked; “I do hope (as I’m sure most would agree) that we would proceed with caution in any attempt to reform “capitalism”, so that in trying to restore dignity and happiness we don’t end up decreasing wealth, thereby increasing material misery.” This is a false choice if ever there was one.
We don’t recognize true wealth as abundance in charity, justice and solidarity in communal bonds anymore. We’ve traded fraternity and spiritual integrity for technological thrills and material obsessions.
In America these things are not allowed. The “bad” labor union keeps them from happining. Now 22 states _ Indiana being the last_ have found a way to kill the labor union. When the unions are gone work will come back to America. Then the Tea Party will have won. It is sad that the Catholic Bishops are silent about the whole thing.
Where would the Church be today if Peter and Paul were like the American Bishops
This might clear up some of the murk the NYT article did not.
http://9to5mac.com/2012/01/26/tim-cook-responds-to-claims-of-factory-worker-mistreatment-we-care-about-every-worker-in-our-supply-chain/
What is that supposed to be “clearing up?”
Nicely done….Minion.
You also need to point out how Apple and friends need little Sherman Anti-Trust violation lawsuits, We are talking about “PREDATORS”, not “Capitalist” here.
…Apple, Google, Adobe, Intel, Intuit and other tech firms, it was revealed, had agreements not to poach one another’s employees. Technically, the Department of Justice settled an antitrust lawsuit in 2010, but employees who claim they were injured by the arrangement are still fighting for more, with a proposed class-action lawsuit that’s having its day in court this month…….
–Ticker quoties “The Verge”
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=201210
Okay,
Where do we find a Catholic computer maker?