Who makes our iPods?

I just recently purchased a shiny new iPod the other day to work out with and play as I fall asleep with my new shure headphones. I've been a bit late on the iPod bandwagon. Most of my music resided on my laptop or PDA, but the extra device worked a lot simpler than fiddling with the pda so I jumped on board.

It's therefore a bit distressing to see a Macworld UK story about who makes our iPods. They're Chinese workers who live in a special large building with police guards, and it is for nothing but creating iPods. The workers have 15 hour days, and are paid roughly $50/month, half of which is taken out to cover food and board for the factory they live in and work at.

I'm sure the PowerBook I'm using, and any other laptop or media devices are made under similar circumstances. Still, for a company that has stressed thinking different and going against the grain, I'm surprised to see that Apple's Chinese workers are getting paid so little. I understand that there is a difference between a living wage in the US and in China, but according to this article about Nike workers, the living wage in China was something along the lines of $75 about five years back. At $25 take home for these workers, they're falling well under that kind of level, which is a shame to see.

[Disclosure: I own Apple stock at the date of this post]

[photo credit: ugaldew]