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Factories reportedly producing a budget iPhone – or iPhone 5C – have been accused of violating labour, legal and ethical violations by China Labor Watch (CLW).
The non-profit organisation has published a new report titled ‘Apple’s Unkept Promises’ after investigating three Pegatron Group factories in Shanghai, China. These are said to be producing the budget iPhone for Apple.
CLW makes several claims in the report, including staff working 11-hour shifts for $1.50 an hour (apparently less than the basic living wage necessary to live in Shanghai), having over 10,000 underage and student workers, crowded production rooms, violation of Chinese laws, poor working and living conditions, abuse by management, safety concerns and more.
"CLW’s investigations revealed at least 86 labor rights violations, including 36 legal violations and 50 ethical violations," read a statement.
"Apple continues to source from Pegatron factories despite serious labour rights violations. That Apple has made promises on the conduct of its suppliers means that Apple is complicit in the persistence of violations at these factories."
The report also compares Apple’s code of conduct standards with the working conditions in the Pegatron factories.
Recent reports suggested Apple’s budget iPhone 5S could actually be called iPhone 5C, while a previous photo leak shows what appears to be the budget iPhone in three different colours.
