Nearly 200,000 Sign Petition Against Apple Supplier Use

Following media reports in The New York Times and other outlets about the treatment of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) supplier workers at China manufacturer Foxconn, nearly 200,000 people have signed an online petition to get Apple to change.

Change.org reports that 194,426 people have signed the electronic document. A note next to the petition claims that “Apple products are made in factories where conditions are so bad, it’s not uncommon for workers to permanently lose the use of their hands.”

The petition also requests that the Fair Labor Association, which Apple has joined and which monitors suppliers, print a list of Apple suppliers which violate its rules.

Those objecting to Apple’s labor practices do have a problem. The labor activity in China may have an effect on Apple’s brand, but so far, that has not happened. There have been no known protests at Apple retail outlets anywhere in the world. From a practical standpoint, Apple’s manufacturing process can barely keep up with demand when it releases new products.