New reports from Bloomberg and China Labour Watch (CLW) have exposed the poor conditions under which Catcher employees in China work. Catcher is a critical partner in Apple’s supply chain as it takes responsibility for most of the manufacturing of the company’s devices casings. Workers are often in contact with chemical components that are noxious for the human body, but their equipment is reportedly inadequate most of the times. China Labour Watch’s investigation focused mostly on a facility in Suqian, a small city located about six hours away from Shanghai, and highlighted problems that go beyond chemical exposure. Workers at the factory reportedly work for six days a week, more than 10 hours every day, and do so without having received proper training or adequate equipment. In various interviews with Bloomberg, where they asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, a number of workers expressed concern about safety issues and their lack of knowledge of … [Read more...] about Workers at an Apple manufacturing plant in China complained about poor working conditions and exposure to noxious chemicals
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It Took Apple Executive Angela Ahrendts 1 Sentence to Drop the Best Career Advice You’ll Hear Today
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images As the Senior Vice President of Retail Strategy at Apple, Angela Ahrendts is one of the highest ranking executives at the most valuable company in the world. To get that job, she had to leave her post as CEO of Burberry, where she had led a remarkable turnaround to reestablish the company as one of the world's premiere luxury fashion brands. But not everyone thought Ahrendts had what it took to successfully lead others. Ahrendts recently spoke to ABC journalist Rebecca Jarvis for her popular podcast, No Limits. Asked about the worst career advice she ever received, Ahrendts tells of the time she was working at a big corporation, and a Human Resources manager told her that she needed to make changes--like not talking so emotionally with her hands--if she wanted to be considered "CEO material." So, at the recommendation of the company Ahrendts traveled to Minneapolis to meet with a coach, where she would be filmed and critiqued. "I was supposed to be there for … [Read more...] about It Took Apple Executive Angela Ahrendts 1 Sentence to Drop the Best Career Advice You’ll Hear Today
Apple needs to admit it still has a labour problem
[TAIPEI] Apple needs to do better.For all the talk of cleaning up its supply chain, too many stories keep popping up about poor working conditions and excessive overtime.Every year at around this time, Apple makes a song and dance about how much it cares for workers and the environment. Fans point out that Cupertino is doing far more than most others in the industry, and they're right.Yet, there's no shortage of cynics who dismiss all this as little more than a publicity stunt. And they're right, too, to be sceptical. An investigative piece by Bloomberg News found yet more fuel. Workers at Catcher Technology were handling, and possibly breathing, noxious chemicals without appropriate safety equipment. Dormitory and showering facilities were subpar, and resigning workers had salaries withheld in what China Labor Watch says is a breach of labor laws.Apple, for its part, says it sent additional auditors to the Catcher site but found no evidence of violations of its … [Read more...] about Apple needs to admit it still has a labour problem
Apple, Amazon, and other tech titans could threaten big banks in one key area
LONDON – Credit rating firm Standard & Poor’s believes that “tech titans” like Apple and Amazon don’t pose a threat to big banks in the short-term, but could challenge their payments businesses in the longer term. Credit analyst Paul Reille and team published a note this week titled: “The Future of Banking: How Much Of A Threat Are Tech Titans To Global Banks?” Reille and his team conclude: “In the short term, we don’t expect competition from tech titans to have an immediate impact on the banks that we rate. However, in the long term, we think that they are well-placed to potentially disrupt certain aspects of the traditional banking industry value chain.” Amazon has a lending program for sellers on its platform but Standard & Poor doesn’t believe tech giants are likely to pose a serious challenge banks in this area, due to the high regulatory burden associated with lending in the US and Europe. S&P likewise … [Read more...] about Apple, Amazon, and other tech titans could threaten big banks in one key area
Apple is the only place you can buy Colgate’s new artificially intelligent toothbrush
Colgate unveiled a new smart toothbrush called the E1. It can map your mouth, emit “sonic vibrations,” and provide real-time brushing feedback. The toothbrush will cost $99.95, and you can only buy it through Apple. Colgate is teaming up with Apple to sell you a high-tech toothbrush. Called the E1, the “smart” electronic toothbrush gives you real-time brushing feedback, maps your mouth, and uses “sonic vibrations” to remove more plaque, and can upload the data it collects to an iPhone app called Colgate Connect. The handle of the toothbrush is also equipped with artificial intelligence, so it can coach you on your oral health over time. Here’s another look at the E1: To help get kids excited about brushing, Colgate even made a game within its iPhone app. Called “Go Pirate,” the game uses the toothbrush as a game controller. The longer you brush, the more coins … [Read more...] about Apple is the only place you can buy Colgate’s new artificially intelligent toothbrush