For 12 years, Alianza robbed workers of over $6 million in wages and benefits, changed it’s legal name 4 times, and defrauded the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (including the workers’ pension accounts) of over $4.7 million. Alianza sold garments to brands who then profited by 415% and 550% mark-ups.
Incident Tag: Non-Living Wage
Wage described as workers not being able to make endsmeet. Overtime is required.
BY the CCC :
“This means that a living wage should
• be paid to all workers and a lower minimum wage would be illegal
• be earned within a standard working week, that is no longer than 48 hours
• be a basic wage: exclusive of benefits, bonuses and overtime pay
• cover the basic needs of the worker and his/her family
• provide a discretionary income amounting to at least 10% of the basic wage.”
Exhaustion Has No Limit at Apple Supplier in China
Incidents of over 100 security guards harassing and beatings at factory (15,000 workers). Workers toil for 64 to 72 hours/week; with low wages; workers are numb and exhausted. “We are just machines” – Zhen Ding Tech worker
A Race to the Bottom: Trans-Pacific Partnership and Nike in Vietnam
67 Vietnamese factories, supplying Nike with footwear and clothing, allegedly pay workers 48 to 69 cents/hour. While the “average customs value of the Nike sneakers is just $5.27 per pair”, Nike shoes “sell in the U.S. from $60 to $120 to well past $200”
Dirty Toys Made in China Holiday Toys Made Under Sweatshop Conditions. December 10, 2015
“Both hands must be constantly moving.” 12 to 13-plus hour shifts in near freezing conditions, earning as little as $1.36 an hour. Fumes from chemicals including industrial alcohol, phenylenediamine and sodium peroxide cause nausea, dizziness and headaches.
Who Else Continues to Exploit Toy Workers? (Lung Cheong)
Excessive overtime, 12/hour shifts, six day workweeks, low wages and exposure to harmful chemicals. “A number of workers in the painting department said that the paint odor was extremely bad and that they suffered from nausea and diarrhea.”
Dirty Frying Pans: An investigation of labor abuses in five Chinese cookware factories (Anotech)
Over exhausted workforce sleeping next to machines in the workshop. Their safety “equipment distributed is insufficient”. On the day of the investigation “a worker’s hand was smashed by a pressing machine”.
Dirty Frying Pans: An investigation of labor abuses in five Chinese cookware factories (Three A)
Polishing workers are exposed to black dust and fumes without wearing masks, or other health and safety equipment. The company provides them with such, only when there’s an outside inspection.
iExploitation: Apple Supplier Jabil Exploits Workers to Meet iPhone 6 Demands (Sep 25, 2014)
Labor violations at factory (30,000 workers) including: unsafe working environment, verbally abusive management, workforce dependent on overtime wages, cases of unpaid overtime wages, crowded dormitories (8 people/per room).
Analyzing Labor Conditions of Pegatron and Foxconn: Apple’s Low-Cost Reality (Feb 11, 2015)
Workers paid below local living standard. Workers are forced to work as many as 132 hours/month of overtime to compensate.
Something’s Not Right Here: Poor Working Conditions Persist at Apple Supplier Pegatron
Workers producing iPhone 6s spend as much as 119 overtime hours/month, and once home they sleep in moldy, unhygienic dorms infested with bed bugs alongside 13 other people.