Apple’s mantra that you “get what you pay for” does not apply to its own staff, who are paid lower wages than the rest of the IT industry, according to a leading consumer advocate.

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader has penned a letter to Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook to stop wasting its money on share buybacks and use the money to raise wages.

The five-time presidential candidate wrote in a letter published by the paper that poverty wages and harmful conditions are "a consequence of tolerating outrageous stock buybacks."

"'Designed by Apple in California' has a nicer ring to it than 'assembled by workers paid about a dollar per hour, working 11-hour shifts, and sleeping eight to a room in the Jabil Circuit corporate dormitories in Wuxi, China'," wrote Nader in the letter dated Oct. 23.

Apple declined to comment on Nader's letter, which echoes criticism from labour activists and right groups. Nader's slamming is the opposite of advice given by billionaire activist-investor Carl Icahn continues to urge the iPhone maker to buy back more shares using its $133 billion cash pile.