Macenstein

GlobalPost is claiming that yet another of Apple’s Chinese parts suppliers is being accused of labor rights violations – this time it’s flat panel supplier Wintek in the hot seat.

The above video is taken from a protest outside Apple’s Taipei office (which unfortunately for BMW seems to predominantly sport the BMW logo). A protesters holding signs reading “black-heart business” and one man holding an Apple laptop with the Chinese Characters for “responsibility” can be seen. According to the National Federation of Independent Trade Unions, Wintek has recently fired 600 employees, drastically cut salaries, and is forcing the remaining employees to work unpaid overtime to fill orders in less than ideal working conditions. Wintek denies any wrongdoing, blaming the cuts on the overall down global economy, and claims its policies “are in line with local laws and regulation”.

Back in 2006 Apple came under fire for similar labor violations uncovered at one of its iPod manufacturing facilities.

At this point China has such a bad reputation for labor violations it is easy to just assume every report is true. Whether or not it turns out Wintek is responsible for any wrongdoing, odds are the quickest way out of this PR debacle is for Wintek to somehow embed some cute pictures of its female assembly line workers into its monitors. That seems to work wonders for public relations.

[via GlobalPost]