Hacker News Reader

Comment by collyw | Hacker News Reader

While this is terrible, is it worse than say Apple who offshore much of their labor costs to places with far worse standards?

View on HN

For some reason it’s always things happening at the ‘Apple factory’ but in reality these are megafactories that produce the items sold by just about every consumer electronics company, like Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Logitech and many others.

Sue, but Apple are the most obvious example with definite examples of this.

While this is terrible

Then we should probably stick to discussing what's terrible about this, and how to fix it. We can "what about" Apple in a later discussion.

Does it need to be worse? Both need improvement.

Did I say otherwise?

Apple only outsources (technically not offshoring, since it isn’t done in the same company) it’s manufacturing, almost all of its R&D is still done states side (better than Google or Microsoft, who have substantial overseas R&D operations, though not necessarily in low cost countries).

Should Apple provide US style standards and pay for labor in China?

Depends if you believe that safe work environments are human rights, or just for Americans.

Standards yes - these should match standards of countries they sell in (or even better take the high road and just match Europe). Chinese wages are on their way up anyway and if anything, improving standards will keep wage costs down as part of the package (and I strongly believe improved standards would improve productivity/quality to more than offset costs). It's win win.

Bear in mind people are ready to queue up to pay a ton more for Apple on the basis that they strive to produce a better product on all dimensions - they are the poster child for quality across the board being a viable business approach. That should go consistently through the products and services like a stick of rock and include things like work conditions and green manufacturing.

We should be encouraging everyone to have decent working conditions.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com