AFL-CIO takes aim at Apple with petition

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka asked activists to sign a petition to tell Apple CEO Tim Cook "to ensure that people integral to Apple’s success — workers who manufacture Apple’s electronics — are treated fairly."

"Apple is under intense scrutiny right now. But rather than deal with that by genuinely addressing the problems in its supply chain, we believe the company is trying to stop the outcry by brushing its problems under the rug," Trumka writes. Trumka, who called his own iPhone "an incredible piece of machinery," said expected Fair Labor Association (FLA) audits won’t go far enough. "We call on Apple to immediately allow genuine unions, with truly independent factory inspections and worker trainings. Trying to brush this under the rug — or hide behind a front group like the FLA — only will make Apple’s PR problems worse," Trumka wrote.