It's easy to forget how fortunate we are to be in an industry in which good working conditions are positively correlated with good results. What a sobering reminder.

During the first half of this century, a number of research experiments by companies (including GE) showed that good working conditions nearly always correlated with improved productivity and better quality.

The problem with China is that it is cheaper to higher more workers than to improve the conditions for the ones they already have. As the average income in China increases, and the middle class grows, this problem should lessen.