Supplier Pegatron confirmed that the 15-year-old was among four workers "who died of illness in the second half of the year" in the Shanghai plant, which has about 100,000 employees. According to New York-based China Labor Watch, Shi Zhaokun died of pneumonia in October at a Shanghai hospital.
China Labor Watch says Shi worked on the assembly line making Apple products at the factory. The factory demands that each employee works at least 12 hours a day.
An Apple spokesman in China told AFP the California-based firm sent independent officials from China and the US to conduct an investigation at the factory which found "no evidence" of a link between the deaths and working conditions.
"We have a team working with Pegatron at their facility to ensure that working conditions meet our high standards," the spokesman added.
Pegatron officials in Taipei stressed that the company forbids the employment of child workers and that Shi used a 20-year-old relative's ID to get hired.
It has strict measures in place to verify workers' ages but the identification for Shi had been wrongly issued, the officials said.
The company said that the deaths have been ruled non-work related after investigations conducted by the factory and Shanghai's health authorities.
Pegatron produces consumer electronics such as game consoles, television sets and computers for Sony, Toshiba and other brand name vendors, as well as assembling products for Apple.
Since last year, Apple reportedly has been shifting orders for the iPad Mini and the iPhone 5C from another Taiwanese assembler Foxconn to Pegatron.
Source: AFP via I-Net Bridge
For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.
We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.
Go to: http://www.inet.co.za
