Apple Bans Bonded Servitude For Factory Workers.

Apple has banned the practice of bonded labour - where new

recruits are charged a fee - from its factories.
In its latest audit of factory conditions, the iPhone maker said that any such fee must be paid by its supplier and not the employee.
Apple began the audits following criticism of the working conditions in some of its factories.
It comes as a report from labour rights group China Labor Watch questioned the low wages earned by some Apple workers.
Deeply offended Its 2015 Supplier Responsibility Progress report said it had told its suppliers in October that it was outlawing bonded servitude from the beginning of this year.
"That fee needs to be paid by the supplier, and Apple ultimately bears that fee when we pay the supplier, and we're OK doing that," said Jeff Williams, Apple's senior vice-president of operations.
Bonded servitude or labour sees new workers charged a fee - sometimes equivalent to a month's salary or more - for being introduced to a factory, typically by third-party recruiters.
It means many employees will begin work in debt. Some have their passports confiscated.
A BBC Panorama programme investigation last year highlighted the poor treatment of workers in Chinese factories.
Undercover filming at one of Apple's factories - Pegatron - showed new recruits handing over ID cards, in breach of Apple's standards.
Apple, which declined to be interviewed for the programme, denied the allegations of poor working conditions and long hours and said it was deeply offended by the allegations.
On the same day that Apple published its audit, labour rights group China Labor Watch (CLW) released a report saying the company was unable to effectively monitor standards in some of its supply chain, allowing companies such as Pegatron to keep base wages below local living expenses.
CLW based its findings on 96 pay stubs submitted by an unknown number of employees. It suggested that low pay compelled workers to put in more hours.
Source:BBC