Steve Jobs Replies On Foxconn Suicides

While no official comment has been made regarding Apple's supposed plan to offer Foxconn workers profit share, an email conversation between Steve Jobs and Apple fan Jay Yerex has emerged. The conversation began with Jay's forwarding of a LabourStart campaign email, which included the message:

As many of you will be aware, the Apple iPad (pictured) had its world-wide launch this weekend. What you may not know is that the factory which produces it, in China, has been the scene of a dozen worker suicides in recent months. We’ve been asked by unions and NGOs in Hong Kong and Taiwan to launch a big international campaign to put pressure on the factory owners — and on Apple — to probe why this is happening, and to allow workers there to have real, independent unions that can bargain collectively. Please take a moment to send off your message now. And please — spread the word! Thanks very much.

Jay then added his own personal touch to the email:

Steve Apple can do better! Sent from my iPhone

In response to this, Steve replied with:

Although every suicide is tragic, Foxconn's suicide rate is well below the China average. We are all over this.

Steve's reply clearly hit a never with Jay, and the disgruntled fan made no attempt to hide his disarray in the email he returned to Jobs:

What does “we are all over this” mean? As in investigating? Or who cares? I switched a few years ago from PC to mac. In fact when I was fired for trying to start a union, I bought my first Mac. I always thought Apple was socially responsible. I’m even giving up smoking to be able to afford an IPad. I may have to reconsider. Especially if you are over 12 deaths.

The American expression Steve Jobs signed off with clearly flew over the top of Jay's head, guessing that the CEO possibly meant that the company didn't care about the increase in Foxconn suicides. Jobs' response, as nonchalant as ever, shone through:

You should educate yourself. We do more than any other company on the planet: Apple – Supplier Responsibility

The link included leads to Apple's webpage on Supplier Responsibility, and includes the quote:

We insist that our suppliers provide safe working conditions, treat workers with dignity and respect, and use environmentally responsible manufacturing processes.

Jay’s comment back to Jobs explained his discontent:

I have. Which is why I have always purchased apple products and admired you. It was the comment “we are all over this” that I found either confusing or offensive. Sent from my iPhone

To which Steve replied:

It’s an American expression that means this has our full attention. Sent from my iPhone

And so the conversation ended. Now, aside from Jay’s soap-operatic plans to quit smoking for an iPad, and Steve’s apparent love for the American expression, what I found particularly interesting about this article was Steve’s closing comment:

This has our full attention.

Maybe we’ll hear something about this at tonight’s D8 conference. Maybe the rumours regarding Apple plans to pay Foxconn employees directly is true. We don’t know. What we do know has been made crystal clear: if you email Steve Jobs, you might just get a reply back. And if you do, don’t forget to try and squeeze a straight answer out of him. You know what the old guy’s like. [via Macstories]

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