iPad 2 Supply to Suffer From Foxconn Explosion

[maestintaolius]

[citation][nom]macewrox[/nom]Man, we seriously need to get rid of workers unions in the states. Like, they served their purpose. Now they're causing everything to be outsourced.[/citation]
Well, considering only ~11% of the private workforce is in a union, I highly doubt that's the cause. More likely it has to do with the fact US workers demand silly, luxurious, wasteful things like health insurance, 2 weeks vacation, retirement plans and more than 2-4k in salary a year. As soon as you're willing to give all that up, I'm sure jobs will come back here.

Of course, China is now starting to lose some outsourcing to places willing to do it for even less, like SE Asia.

 

[blackened144]

[citation][nom]DjEaZy[/nom]... why is the iPad not produced in US?[/citation]
[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]Because US workers have unions, good pay, health plans, pensions and by comparison are generally fat and lazy.Chinese workers are chained to the oars whilst an o'erseer walks the line whipping slackers and Steve Jobs sits at the top of the deck beating a drum so they all row in unison If they are lucky they can get a bowl of rice a week and look forward to retirement (aka suicide).M'kay?[/citation]
I always thought it was because Caucasians are just too damn tall.

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=96iJsdGkl44

 

[kyee7k]

[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]Because US workers have unions, good pay, health plans, pensions and by comparison are generally fat and lazy.Chinese workers are chained to the oars whilst an o'erseer walks the line whipping slackers and Steve Jobs sits at the top of the deck beating a drum so they all row in unison If they are lucky they can get a bowl of rice a week and look forward to retirement (aka suicide).M'kay?[/citation]
You are referencing UAW factory workers. Not all US factory workers are lazy or get great health plans, pensions, etc. In fact, pay, pension, health is adequate compared to what the union shops like UAW get. They also work 10-12 hours standing up.

 

[bender3000]

So a smaller supply of iPads means waiting in line for 8 hours instead of the usual 7.....meh

 

[legacy7955]

[citation][nom]maestintaolius[/nom]Well, considering only ~11% of the private workforce is in a union, I highly doubt that's the cause. More likely it has to do with the fact US workers demand silly, luxurious, wasteful things like health insurance, 2 weeks vacation, retirement plans and more than 2-4k in salary a year. As soon as you're willing to give all that up, I'm sure jobs will come back here.Of course, China is now starting to lose some outsourcing to places willing to do it for even less, like SE Asia.[/citation]

Heck considering how expensive the iMe um Pad is you figure Jobs could afford to at least assemble the iMe Pad here in the US.

Seriously though I really feel for the enslaved work force over there. We need to impose huge tariffs on anything produced in such a slave wage nation. China is still a dictatorship plain and simple, we need to stop engaging nations like that and bring the manufacturing base back to the US. Sure you'll have to pay more for things but at least you know you are helping your neighbor and your community in the long run.

 

[sliem]

If iPads were made in USA, the price would have been $2000 ... and still people (fans) will buy them.

 

[irtehyar]

I knew there'd be some bad news from that explosion.

 

[Guest]

What the hell is wrong with this site? 3 people died, 15 injured, and the headline focuses on the iPad 2?! Was this article written by a robot or something?

 

[legacy7955]

@ief:

Makes one wonder doesn't it?

I wonder how long Mr. Jobs thought about those deaths and injuries ? Or did he at all?

I'm truly so sick of the endlessly repeated mantra that the ONLY thing that matters in the business world is profit. Of course profit matters but it is ONLY one part of the equation, unless of course you are a sociopath.

 

[fyasko]

[citation][nom]rantoc[/nom]So a US version of foxxcon can start up and you want to work there? Just move out of the country and start working at foxcon in china instead and all your dreams will come true, low pay, health issues due to inhumane working conditions ect - all a worker "deserves" right !?! How come that the moral compass is so seriosuly f-cked up in some people? The downside of capitalism in my book - Some just have three things they care about and its me, myself and I![/citation]
the problem is american unions don't use their power for those things they always want more than they deserve... look what happened to our auto industry...

 

[legacy7955]

Except that Unions in the US over the past decade have endlessly conceded to companies demands.

No the problem isn't US unions...it is the US ALLOWING slave wager nations which exploit their workers savagely the entry into our market.

Bottom line is the US will never be able to compete with a nation or nations like China that use their workforce as a place to wipe their boots.

The biggest question is ...do you (the US citizen) want to live like the typical Chinese slave wager? I bet you don't.

We need to stop trading with China and other nations like it if we value our own citizens.

 

[robochump]

Apple is far from the only tech company to use Foxconn or Chinese labor. Would be nice to keep factory jobs on US shores but costs involved are not profitable and perhaps the US Gov't should offer more tax breaks for companies keep jobs in the US!

 

[maestintaolius]

[citation][nom]fyasko[/nom]the problem is american unions don't use their power for those things they always want more than they deserve... look what happened to our auto industry...[/citation]
I would argue the management decision to focus on the more profitable light truck and SUV line while blindly ignoring raising gas prices/consumer trends as opposed to designing decent, smaller, economical cars was a pretty large contributor. GMAC mortgage going belly up and losing a boatload of money also didn't help.

 

[Apple Troll Master]

No need to state the obvious.

 

[blurr91]

[citation][nom]legacy7955[/nom]Except that Unions in the US over the past decade have endlessly conceded to companies demands.No the problem isn't US unions...it is the US ALLOWING slave wager nations which exploit their workers savagely the entry into our market.Bottom line is the US will never be able to compete with a nation or nations like China that use their workforce as a place to wipe their boots.The biggest question is ...do you (the US citizen) want to live like the typical Chinese slave wager? I bet you don't. We need to stop trading with China and other nations like it if we value our own citizens.[/citation]


Why do you have a problem with people in other countries working for a fair wage in their country? I know, you want everyone in the world to make the same amount of money no matter what they do. It's the communist way.

They have the right not to work for that wage. They can starve. They are not being exploited. They are working toward a better life. We used to do that in this country. Now we just want people to hand us free stuff. I be you're one of them freeloaders.

 

[eddieroolz]

Maybe it was Apple's attempt to artificially stimulate demand...who knows. Apple isn't known for being compassionate anyway. If they were, they would've set up a philanthropic fund to counter Gates Foundation, or pressure Foxconn to treat their employees better.

 

[legacy7955]

[citation][nom]blurr91[/nom]Why do you have a problem with people in other countries working for a fair wage in their country? I know, you want everyone in the world to make the same amount of money no matter what they do. It's the communist way.They have the right not to work for that wage. They can starve. They are not being exploited. They are working toward a better life. We used to do that in this country. Now we just want people to hand us free stuff. I be you're one of them freeloaders.[/citation]

The Chinese have the right to do things anyway they want. BUT according to OUR own law of the land "US Constitution" it is ILLEGAL for any body BUT the congress to impose trade laws or regulations within the USA. Why is it that we have GATT, WTO, NAFTA, ect international organizations imposing foreign regulations on US trade? ILLEGAL and UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

The downward spiral of the US and other developed economies was when the elite globalists decided to forgo treating their employees with a degree of respect and instead rely on exploited peoples like those of a dictatorship (in China) where they could ruthlessly use those people without any concequences.

I'm surprised that the old character assassination angle is all you can come up with, it really is tired and also as we all know is the last resort of those that have no rational retort. So I am under the impression that you really agree with me but you don't like that fact.

BTW I have worked very hard (manual labor and desk work) my whole life now 44 years old and always did the best job possible no matter what that job might be. I also detest the "free" angle ...nothing is really FREE in a business transaction , somebody somewhere is paying for it.

 

[sonofliberty08]

[citation][nom]DjEaZy[/nom]... why is the iPad not produced in US?[/citation]
bcos most of the American brand products are OEM in China or Taiwan

 

[back_by_demand]

[citation][nom]DjEaZy[/nom]... i know... 'food for thought' question...[/citation]
I can't understand why it was marked down, it's not like I was lying.

The Capitalist econocy states that the lowest bidder wins, within acceptable quality standards.

The products in China are produced to an acceptable standard but the wages of the staff are much lower, therefore China gets the business.

As the world is now a much smaller place the USA has to accept that manufacturing is something that will eventually be lost to foreign companies.

Here's a real poser for you all, would you rather take a wage cut or lose your job?

We already know the answer to that, the Union boss says "no wage cuts" and the contract is sent over to China and during the course of the next 5 years there are lay-offs, lay-offs, lay-offs, shrinking order books and then the factory closes, the whole town becomes a wasteland like hundreds of others all over the country.

What's the cure for this? I haven't got a clue because no one else does either.

[citation][nom]legacy7955[/nom]Except that Unions in the US over the past decade have endlessly conceded to companies demands.No the problem isn't US unions...it is the US ALLOWING slave wager nations which exploit their workers savagely the entry into our market.Bottom line is the US will never be able to compete with a nation or nations like China that use their workforce as a place to wipe their boots.The biggest question is ...do you (the US citizen) want to live like the typical Chinese slave wager? I bet you don't. We need to stop trading with China and other nations like it if we value our own citizens.[/citation]
That is so dumb it is beyond belief, first thing that would happen would be the cost of items would increase to the point that by comparison the wages you earn can only buy half of what they used to and we aren't just talking iPads, it would be everything from fruit to gasoline.

Prices in the US are only as low as they are off the backs of poorly paid foreign workers, get used to it.

 

[fir_ser]

If there was a shortage in iPads then the competition will probably get close to Apple or even catch up with it. So I hope this would be in the best interest of consumers.