Just a week after riots broke out at Foxconn over working conditions at the Chinese plant that manufactures Apple’s iPhone 5, the company is mixed up in another labour imbroglio. This time, it’s over the admitted use of child labour. But sheath thy pichforks because Foxconn’s not entirely to blame.
CNET reports that China labour Watch called Foxconn out yesterday for using interns as young as 14 when the legal working age in China is sixteen. Foxconn has admitted to the wrongdoing and has begun sending underage interns back to school.
Foxconn did not check the IDs of the students, but before everyone targets all of their venom at the manufacturer, you should note that it’s only partly their fault. China labour Watch points out that most of the children were sent to Foxconn by schools, which should carry most of the blame. Besides, the important thing isn’t the blame game. It’s that these kids are getting back in classrooms where they belong. [Child labour Watch via CNET]