Excerpts from 'This American Life' on Mike Daisey: 'Why not just tell us what really happened?'

The transcript of the show reveals more details that Mike Daisey seemingly lied about or misrepresented, forcing This American Life to retract its support for the episode. "Retraction" features host Ira Glass, Mike Daisey, Marketplace reporter Rob Schmitz, whose further factchecking of the episode after its original airing led to the retraction, and Mike Daisey's translator, Cathy, who accompanied Mike on his trip to Foxconn.This led Schmitz to track down Cathy, Daisey's translator.Among other things, Cathy says that they visited three factories, not the ten which Daisey claims. In the broadcast, there are heated moments where host Ira Glass confronts Daisey about his story, such as the one below:

[long pause]

Mike Daisey: I think I was terrified. [breathing]

Ira Glass: Of what?

[long pause]

Mike Daisey: - That---

[long pause]

Mike Daisey: The latter. [Pause] After a certain point, honestly...

[long pause]

Ira Glass: Wait after a certain point, what?

Mike Daisey: Well I started a sentence and then my nerve failed me, I stopped talking.

Ira Glass: [overlapping] Okay.

Mike Daisey: So that's what you saw. Mike Daisey: I can't say it.

Ira Glass: What's the general kind of area that it's in?

Mike Daisey: There was a point.

Mike Daisey: I think you can trust my word in the context of the theater. Mike Daisey: I don't think that label covers the totality of what it is.

Ira Glass: That label - fiction?

http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/16/2878833/excerpts-this-american-life-mike-daisey-transcript/in/2549489

Foxconn, Working Conditions and How Much We All Really Care

We aren’t talking about working conditions in, say, Nebraska. It Isn’t Just Apple. The media seems to think that Apple is the only company that makes use of Foxconn for mass-producing goods. This simply isn’t true; other electronics companies (including Amazon, Microsoft and Sony) work with Foxconn. Because Apple is the biggest company, not only in terms of how much they’re ordering from Foxconn but also in terms of, you know, being the biggest company in the entire world. What goes on in Foxconn isn’t, as a point of fact, Apple’s responsibility. Sure, they have one hell of a big stick to make Foxconn do what it wants, but beyond that Foxconn isn’t part of Apple. Sure, Apple could threaten to leave Foxconn, but what then? Until the rest of the world can match China in terms of sheer export powers, Apple is going to do business with Foxconn. Does It Really, Genuinely Matter?

http://iphone.appstorm.net/general/opinion-general/foxconn-working-conditions-and-how-much-we-all-really-care/

'Mass suicide' protest at Apple manufacturer Foxconn factory

Around 150 Chinese workers at Foxconn, the world's largest electronics manufacturer, threatened to commit suicide by leaping from their factory roof in protest at their working conditions. In the aftermath of the suicides, Foxconn installed safety nets in some of its factories and hired counsellors to help its workers. At Foxconn's flagship plant in Longhua, five per cent of its workers, or 24,000 people, quit every month. The worker said that Foxconn initially refused to negotiate, but that the workers were treated reasonably by the local police and fire service.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9006988/Mass-suicide-protest-at-Apple-manufacturer-Foxconn-factory.html

What we learned from the 'Nightline' report on Foxconn factorie

Nightline has aired its report from Foxconn's factories on ABC. In the report, host Bill Weir speaks directly to factory workers as well as their managers. Foxconn executive Louis Woo said that he would actually like it if Apple demanded that the company double the pay of factory employees. Foxconn produces 300k iPad camera modules per day. Workers make $1.78 an hour. Apple paid $250,000 to join the FLA, and is paying for its audit

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/22/2815654/abc-nightline-apple-foxconn-factories/in/2549489

Apple to allow third-party environmental inspections, could begin as early as March

ABC visits Foxconn factories for a first-hand look at working conditions

On Tuesday night, ABC will broadcast a special Nightline episode filmed at Foxconn's facilities in Shenzhen and Chengdu, China, exploring the working conditions at the company's factories. Overtime opportunities and pay are scarce, resulting in many people coming and going, however Foxconn jobs remain highly sought after. ABC shows masses of people gathered outside Foxconn's plant, looking to get a job inside.

While acknowledging that Foxconn, China's biggest employer after the country's government, produces consumer electronics for all sorts of brands — including Sony, Dell, HP, Motorola, and Microsoft — ABC's focus seems firmly fixed on Apple's relationship with Foxconn, which does appear to be more active than the other companies.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/20/2811386/abc-nightline-foxconn-factories-apple-products/in/2549489

Apple-requested Foxconn factory inspection revealing 'tons of issues,' FLA boss says

Auret van Heerden, CEO of the Fair Labor Association, has issued some damning language today directed at Foxconn near the conclusion of an audit of factory conditions that had been requested by apple several days ago. In the meantime, the FLA is expected to meet with Foxconn and presumably, Apple today for a "preliminary" report on its findings.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/17/2806976/apple-foxconn-fla-tons-of-issues/in/2549489