Incident Tag: Occupational Hazard

Lack of necessary safety equipment

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.

The Dark World of Disney (Lam Sun)

Labor issues at toy factory: workers often work more than 60 hours/week; more than 90 overtime hours/month; age discrimination (bellow 40 years old); sex discrimination at assembly department; compulsory overtime; “wages are abysmally low” in injection, assembly and printing departments (8.7 RMB/hour or 1.3 USD/hour); often find foreign matters in their food, and leftovers will be resold in the next meal; workers are exposed to a variety of toxic chemicals without protective equipment.

The Dark World of Disney (Zhenyang)

Labor issues at toy factory: 12 hour daily shifts during peak season (May – October), 6 days/week; too low wages; base wage is insufficient to cover workers living costs; 8.7 RMB/hour (1.3 USD/hour); workers work with toxic chemicals; in assembly room no protection equipment was offered other than a work hat; during peak season, applications for sick leave hardly get approved; the training officer required all workers to check the “I’m willing to work overtime” option without asking them.

Beyond Foxconn:Deplorable Working Conditions Characterize Apple’s Entire Supply Chain (Kenseisha)

Labor concerns at factory (700 workers) producing aluminum cases for laptop computers: age discrimination upon hiring (16 – 35 years old); use of chlid labor (as low as 16); 12 hour daily shifts; during the off-season workers can get one day off per week; during peak production they only get one day off every two months; monthly overtime 85-150 hours; verbally abusive managers; use of equipment is not closely monitored; work-related injuries occur occasionally; base salary insufficient for workers to support themselves.

Beyond Foxconn:Deplorable Working Conditions Characterize Apple’s Entire Supply Chain (BYD)

Labor concerns at factory (30,000 workers) manufacturing electronics: age discrimination upon hiring (16 – 35 years old); use of chlid labor (as low as 16); as many as 12 hour daily work shifts; and as many as 30 days/month; verbally abusive management; workers regularly exposed to chemicals, radiation, and other occupational hazards with inadequate protective equipment; deafening and extremely hot environment; at least four work-related injuries reported in the laser welding workshop such as cuts or hands crushed by machinery; pay for most workers is calculated according to lowest local monthly salary (1,320 RMB = $209).

Beyond Foxconn:Deplorable Working Conditions Characterize Apple’s Entire Supply Chain (Catcher)

Labor concerns at factory (~14,000 workers) manufacturing components for laptops, digital cameras, and mobile devices: age discrimination upon hiring (16 – 30 years old); use of student labor (as low as 16); 12 hour daily shifts; during peak season (April to December), workers get at most two days a month and may not have a single day off for an entire month; verbally abusive management; the simple face masks that the factory provides do not effectively prevent workers from inhaling metal dust; a thick layer of metal particles was evident under workers’ nostrils; safety training to new workers nor do they inform workers of the inherent risks of their occupations; workers need to work overtime to make ends meet; average monthly salary  is approximately 2,900 RMB (≈$460).

 

Beyond Foxconn:Deplorable Working Conditions Characterize Apple’s Entire Supply Chain (TOYO)

Labor concerns at factory (~1,000 workers) producing metal cases for laptops: age discrimination upon hiring (16 – 35 years old); use of student labor (as low as 16); 12-13.5 hour daily shifts; workers can only take off one day per month during peak season (monthly overtime may exceed 200 hours); verbally abusive management; workers complain over ‘overwhelming’ chemical odor; workers need to work overtime to make ends meet; average monthly pay is 3,000-3,500 RMB (≈$476-555).

 

Beyond Foxconn:Deplorable Working Conditions Characterize Apple’s Entire Supply Chain (Ri Teng)

Labor issues at (3) factory plants (~20,000 workers) specializing in producing cases for consumer electronic equipment: 11-12 hour daily shifts, 6 days/week on average; work 7 days/week during peak production (as many as 31 days/month); workers may not have a day off for months at a time; work may reach as many as 18 hours/day; verbally abusive management; dangerous working environment; very poor quality safety equipment, factory switches to better only during customer visit or audit; hundreds student workers aged as low as 16 year old; workers have to take overtime in order to make ends meet (base salary 1,280 RMB ≈$203).