iPhones: The Real Cost of Cheap Labor
Many of us own an IPhone; I mean do you really have a smart phone if it isn’t an IPhone? It is fairly easy to obtain one of these devices, you can go to a local phone store, an Apple Store, or order it online. Then bam, you got yourself a brand new toy. However, who or what makes these shiny new gadgets for you to use? Does one even think about where or whom it came from before it came to the store?
In 2015, an investigator decided to work undercover at one of the largest China factories. He discovered that workers earn $1.85 per hour and many of the workers work overtime in order to pay the bare minimum to cover living expenses. The standard shift was nine hours a day and one ten-hour shift on Saturdays, which accounts for $753 per month. Along with the long dreaded hours of work, the conditions are no better. There have been multiple suicides with underage children making products in these factories.
Why does any of this matter? We must understand that humans don’t deserve this. All of this for a piece of metal. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy plenty of Apple products but it is important to understand the cheap labor is exchanged for bigger profit. Manufacturers want more money so they place their labor practices that would be illegal in America. In the United Sates, manufacturing would cost $65 more than in China where it would be $8. It is crucial for us to educate where our products are being made because although we may think buying one IPhone doesn’t make a difference, if we all have that same mentality then eventually it all adds up. Now that Apple has set a business model for other companies, the rest of the world wants to follow. We must educate ourselves and be aware of where we buy our devices.
