We’re not sure about you, but we were confident that a few carefully chosen words by head honchos of Apple will fix the entire thing, like in a fairytale about a magic wand. Unfortunately, the real world doesn’t work along those lines, as the latest report on working conditions in Foxconn’s factories has shown.

Workers rights group Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior interviewed 170 workers and supervisors in Shenzen and Zhengzhou. The report revealed exhausting hours and dictator-like discipline.

The report says that workers are often disciplined by being ordered to clean toilets and read out confession letters. It seems like the policies and empty talk that fooled the public into thinking it’s all been fixed has merely resulted in workers being given stools to sit while working, as opposed to having to stand before. There’s a catch though – they have to sit on one third of the chair to remain nimble.

The workers are still suffering from exhaustion due to increased pressure, reduced overtime and, in turn, lower paychecks. Apparently, about 20 to 30 people tend to live in 3-bedroom apartments with lots of bunk beds. Energy consumption is limited and workers are warned against using high-energy devices like kettles and even laptops.

The report also claims that workers are warned against talking to the press without being given a specific permission to do so.

More here.