Investigation has found wretched working conditions in unregulated artisanal mines where cobalt is extracted for smartphones: abundant child labor; as young as four years old working; 12-hour daily shifts; workers earning as little as 8p a day; desperately dangerous conditions; exposure to cobalt and dust fumes; mine tunnels are dug by hand by miners who have no protective equipment; recent death reported due to mine collapse.
Incident Tag: Occupational Hazard
Lack of necessary safety equipment
American Chipmakers Had a Toxic Problem. Then They Outsourced It (Suppliers)
Companies in the semiconductor industry accussed of outsourcing chip manufacture using the highly toxic chemicals “ethylene glycol ethers”, or EGEs in South Korea after 1995, when such substances were banned in their domicile for causing diseases such as cancer, miscarriages, leukemia, infertility and others.
S. Korean court says Samsung worker’s ovarian cancer caused by exposure to chip chemicals | Court: Chemicals caused Samsung chip worker’s ovarian cancer
Starting from 1993, a 6-year exposure to carcinogens (formaldehyde and phenol) caused ovarian cancer to young female worker at chip factory, resulting to her death in 2012 – Seoul Administrative Court says.
Workers’ welfare service with first recognition of leukemia contracted at Samsung LCD factory
Employee working for five years and seven months (between 2002-2008) in a Samsung Display LCD factory diagnosed with leukemia, contracted by exposure to carcinogens and other harmful substances with inadequate protective gear, Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL) says.
The Myanmar Dilemma (factory 2)
Labor issues at garment factory (1,600 workers): non-living wages; daily base wage 3,600 kyat (€2.71); cases of child labor (16-18 years of age); some workers were younger than 15 years old when they started at the factory; workers lack health and safety training; workers afraid to join a union.
The Myanmar Dilemma (factory 1)
Labor violations at garment factory (700 workers): non-living wages; daily base wage 1,800-3,700 kyat (€1.36 – €2.79); occasions of workers toiling for as low as half the legal minimum wage; child labor (16-18 years of age); workers lack health and safety training.
The Myanmar Dilemma (factory 6)
Labor violations at garment factory (1,800 workers): non-living wages; daily base wage 1,800-4,050 kyat (€1.36 – €3.05); occasions of workers toiling for as low as half the legal minimum wage; regular work 66 hours/week; child labor (16- 18 years of age); some workers were younger than 15 years old when they started at the factory; safety issues; electrical and wire shocks.
The Myanmar Dilemma (factory 5)
Labor violations at garment factory (1,500 workers): non-living wages; daily base wage 2,700-3,600 kyat (€2.03 – €2.71); occasions of workers toiling for less than legal minimum wage; regular work over 60 hours/week; at times as many as 68 hours/week; forced overtime; cases of child labor (16-18 years of age); labor at leasat 13-14 years of age; health and safety issues; cases of workers getting dizzy, stomach-aches or sometimes even faint due to heat and stress.
Apple’s Unkept Promises: Investigation of Three Pegatron Group Factories Supplying to Apple (Avy)
Labor violations at factory (3,000 employees) manufacturing exterior computer parts: forced labor; ID’s withheld for 3-14 days preventing workers from leaving the factory; hiring discrimination over age groups (above 35 years old) and workers with tattoos; discrimination against pregnant women; insufficient training procedure; 12 hour daily shifts (~136 hours monthly overtime); work 20- 31 days month; unpaid 14 hours of monthly overtime; mandatory overtime; base wage cannot meet basic needs ($240.95); workers rely on overtime; 80% of employees work while standing; factory disposes cutting solution to sewage system; chemical hazard; injuries; dispatch workers don’t recieve social insurance; worker harassement and scolding if quota isn’t met.
The Chaos in Global Supply Chain Exacerbates Terrible Working Conditions in China
Labor concerns at factory (about 3,500 workers) manufacturing parts of electronic products: the factory does not strictly adhere to the terms of the employment contract; 12-13.5 daily work shifts; some shifts last up to 15 hours; workers must go 3 months without a single day off; forced labor is present at the factory; monthly wage is 2000 RMB (308USD); workers are not given any fire safety training; some reported injuries.