Tim Cook—Continued Apple reliance on Foxconn despite documented labor violations including forced overtime and ethnic discrimination
Under Cook's leadership, Apple continued to rely on Foxconn as its primary manufacturer despite repeated China Labor Watch investigations documenting forced overtime (60-75 hours/week vs. China's legal maximum), wage withholding, recruitment discrimination against Uyghur, Tibetan, Yi and Hui ethnic minorities, and sexual harassment. A 2023 CLW report alleged Apple representatives were aware of these practices during iPhone production.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supply Chain Ethics | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Worker Rights | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.429 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (high ×1.5) × confidence (0.57)× agency (negligent ×0.5)
Evidence (1 signal)
China Labor Watch documented forced overtime, ethnic discrimination, and harassment at Foxconn Chengdu plant
A 2023 China Labor Watch investigation of Foxconn's Chengdu plant, an Apple supplier, uncovered forced overtime, recruitment discrimination barring Uyghur, Tibetan, Yi and Hui ethnic minorities, mandatory excessive overtime, workplace bullying, harassment, and excessive use of dispatch workers. Most workers clocked 60-75 hours/week, well above China's legal maximum and Apple's own 60-hour cap.