Behind the scenes

Apple may have the best financial record, given that its cash reserves now exceed those of the US treasury, but there are question marks over its record on workers’ rights.

The production of its iPads, iPhones, iPods and Mac computers is outsourced to Foxconn, the Chinese company that is the world’s biggest manufacturer of electronic components.

But with regular new models and a public that seemingly cannot get enough of its sleek and shiny gadgets, Apple’s orders are large in volume and turnaround must be quick.

This was reason enough for Foxconn to kick-start production at one factory before the plant was even fully constructed, forcing workers to toil away in an unsafe work environment.

A joke that is commonly shared among Foxconn workers is that at the company: “Women are used as men and men are used as machines.”

Here is a behind-the-scenes look at what it is like to work for Foxconn.