Protest at Apple in Palo Alto Calls on Tech Giant to Change Corporate Ethics

Political activists for labor rights say that despite attempts to improve its image in the last 5 years, Apple has worse-than-sweatshop manufacturing conditions in China. These conditions include numerous worker suicides, child labor violations, excessive workloads, and exposure to toxic chemicals.

Human rights activists the Raging Grannies said today that any promises Apple is making in recent days to take steps to rectify the dire situation, are “too little too late”.

Today the Grannies demonstrated outside the Apple store at 451 University in Palo Alto, talking to noon hour passersby. They chanted "Apple Apple, you're no good--Treat your workers like you should!" and told customers exiting the store that, "The blood of workers is on your i-phone." Two of the Grannies, dressed as factory workers in "clean room" suits, performed a skit in which they begged Apple to treat them humanely, while standing under an Apple logo near the store's front door. They strolled up and down University Avenue while the other Grannies sang,

Apple gets the profit, Chinese people pay
On the backs of workers, Apple made its way

The Grannies' song was accompanied by ukulele playing Granny Shirley Powers.

Apple recently replied to accusations that it has turned a blind eye to working conditions in China, saying it conducts a number of surprise audits every year in order to “make sure our suppliers are not just showing us what they want us to see.” But recent interviews, conducted in Shenzen, China by Mike Daisey, have shown that children as young as 12 years old are working in Foxconn factories that Apple uses. He discovered in a visit to a facility there that underage workers are hidden away when inspectors come.

Granny Gail Sredanovic said: "It’s fair to say every Apple computer has the blood of workers on it." She explained that while labor activists have long asked for greater oversight, Apple clearly looked the other way. Another of the Grannies jumped in to say they blame the Silicon Valley cult-like worship of Apple. "When Steve Jobs died, you couldn’t walk in downtown Palo Alto without noticing the many shrines to him in store windows. Steve Jobs-worshippers would have had the flag at half-mast if they could have".

The Grannies were interviewed by Palo Alto based newspaper The Daily Post in an article published on January 17th. Today's protest aired on corporate media stations KNTV (NBC affiliate) and KTVU (FOX affiliate) on evening news broadcasts.