Success: Apple Employees Freed From Oppressive Conditions

Target: Tim Cook, CEO of Apple

Goal: Thank Apple CEO, Tim Cook, for allowing the loosening of reportedly oppressive COVID-19 restrictions affecting Apple’s Foxconn plant workers.

Apple’s Foxconn factory in China is not known for good press. Alleged conditions of poor pay and inhumanely long shifts often are in the news. In an effort to maintain production hurdles caused by COVID-19, the manufacturer was reported to have delayed promised end-of-year bonuses in addition to confining workers to factory grounds to mitigate spreading of the virus. The lockdown supposedly restricted many employees from leaving, providing them transportation from on-site dormitories straight to production lines. Mounting stress resulted in protests and riots on and off these grounds. The issue was outlined in this ForceChange petition.

China recently announced plans to loosen restrictions which benefit Foxconn workers affected by the lockdowns. Despite claiming a newfound comfort in infection rates as the reason for the decision, some sources claim COVID is still a very big problem in the region. Presumably protests got the attention of the Chinese government and Apple and led them to a shift in policy. Hopefully this is the path to opening up more rights for workers at Foxconn.

Regardless of a major deficit in iPhone production in light of forthcoming holiday shopping, Apple has not publicly protested opening up factories. Perhaps they acknowledge workers’ rights or maybe just understand retracting restrictions is better for business. Either way, it is a victory for labor rights.

Sign the petition below to thank CEO Cook for allowing China and Foxconn to lift these seemingly oppressive restrictions on factory workers.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear CEO Cook,

It is understandable mitigating bad press is a large part of your job as head of Apple. COVID-19 has not made it any easier, and balancing what is best for the company and its employees adds another layer of difficulty. This has been especially true in controversy towards locking down the Foxconn plant, especially in light of also postponing annual bonuses. All things considered, resulting riots and protests were not a surprise though it is good to hear of work on an agreeable solution.

Despite the rationale, most can agree lifting restrictions at Foxconn is a positive move. Employees generally have no interest in catching the virus and take necessary precautions to avoid it. They are invested in work and the resulting paycheck, so compromising with them is in everyone’s best interest. It is no secret happy factory workers are conducive to your company’s success; it seems you now are on a better track in that direction.

While we look forward to addressing fair pay for Foxconn workers, allowing them freedom of movement and lifting oppressive restrictions at the factory is a good step. Thank you for not speaking out against the loosening of the ban on workers leaving factory grounds.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo credit: Nadkachna