OT: Apple admits excessive iPod hours

[Meng Cheah]

*Apple Computer has said a report of labour conditions at its iPod plant 
in China found workers did more than 60 hours a week a third of the time.

*Staff making the world's most popular MP3 player also worked more than 
six consecutive days 25% of the time.
Apple said the hours were "excessive" and said its supplier would now be 
enforcing a "normal" 60-hour week.
The firm said there were "overtime limit exceptions in unusual 
circumstances" and that it supported a healthy work-life balance.
But it did not specify what the triggers for "unusual circumstances" 
were and what upper limit it set on working hours.

But the report has been criticised by a leading international trade 
union organisation for not being independently verified.
Janek Kuczkiewicz, director of human and trade union rights at the 
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), said he was 
not impressed by the report.

More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5262110.stm
and http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/19/mother_jones_goes_to_china/

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