CEJ TWO

H.P. Directs Its Suppliers in China to Limit Student Labor

New York Times
Technology
By Keith Bradsher
2-7-13
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/business/global/hewlett-packard-joins-push-to-limit-use-of-student-labor-in-china.html?pagewanted=1&ref=technology

Hewlett Packard, owner of the successful electronic company H.P.  is reducing the number of students workers they have employed in China.  Many chinese men and woman under the age of 18 are being forced by factories and schools to work long vigorous hours.  Following Apple’s lead, Hewlett plans to enforce the new rule that all work must be voluntary and workers must be able to leave work without any punishment.  Last year apple joined the Fair Labor Association.  The Fair Labor Association monitors workplaces like factories in China to learn more about their student workers to figure out this issue.  Now the members of H.P will discuss ways to be one of the few companies who have taken action in this controversial issue.

This is great that companies as big as H.P. and Apple are putting a positive voice out.  I’m sure companies like H.P. and Apple really inspire emerging businesses and other companies to cut down on forced labor.  At first when I heard people comparing the factory workers in China to slavery I didn’t believe it.  I thought the workers were voluntarily doing what they were doing.  When I read this article and heard that high schools sometimes force their students to work, I immediately was against the idea.  Students need to be studying and having fun to prepare themselves for  a career that will provide them a nice life.  Working long hours as a student will distract you from accomplishing bigger things.  An idea I had to fix this situation was to have robots build the devices. This would keep young adults from getting taking advantage of, but then who would build the robots?  I think H.P. is doing a good job of making sure all work is voluntary.  The chinese economy is doing well right now, but I almost feel like they are trying to hard to make money.  The leaders are hurting their people.  I think business everywhere needs to stop worrying so much about the money.  Having money is great, but it gets to a point where you have to much.  Plus, it almost seems like it’s not about making people happy anymore or doing what you like to do.  It’s all for money that can only do so much.