Despite the 11.5 hour work shifts in Chang’ an Mattel Toy Factory, workers only receive a 30 minute meal break. Overtime reaching nearly three times the legal limit.
Incident Tag: Union Repression
Incidence where unionizing and collective bargaining is obstructed/repressed/prohibited. Workers denied the right of association.
http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_norm/—normes/documents/publication/wcms_318141.pdf (p. 28)
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87)
‘…the right for workers and employers to establish and join organizations of their own choosing without previous authorization. Workers’ and employers’ organizations shall organize freely and not be liable to be dissolved or suspended by administrative authority.
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)
‘This fundamental Convention provides that workers shall enjoy adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination, including requirements that a worker not join a union or relinquish trade union membership for employment, or dismissal of a worker because of union membership or participation in union activities.
Dirty Frying Pans: An investigation of labor abuses in five Chinese cookware factories (Master)
Workers exposed to hazardous toxins such as “polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) during the coating process and a wax stripper substance, which are poisonous to human health, without wearing protective masks”. Factories lack essential safety precautions such as carbon masks, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, etc.
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 (Linkfair)
Fingers crushed and other hand injuries occur in Linkfair factory where workers toil with limited occupational safety. “During high season, workers will have a shift every day of the month without rest, including daily overtime (accumulating between 124 – 154 hours/month, between three and four times the Chinese legal maximum). “When the factory is unable to pay insurance, management will give workers 100 RMB ($16) to lie to government inspectors.”
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.
Dirty Frying Pans: An investigation of labor abuses in five Chinese cookware factories (Xinhui Ri)
Workers toil for 11 hours/day, 26 days/month in low season, and 30 days/month in high season. Essential safety equipment is missing, and it is not given to workers unless there is an inspection. If the inspection finds any violation, management forces workers to pay the fine.
The Other Side of Fairy Tales (Zhenyang)
Devastating sweatshop conditions with workers exposed to toxic chemicals such as industrial alcohol and acetone, or extremely loud machines. Factory’s industrial waste water is discharged directly into a nearby river without treatment.
The Other Side of Fairy Tales: An investigation of labor conditions at five Chinese toy factories (Combine Will)
Workers do 13.5 hour daily shifts accumulating up to or more than 100 hours of overtime per month, nearly three times the Chinese legal maximum. They’re not permitted to go to the restroom or get water because it is deemed a risk to production speed.
The Other Side of Fairy Tales: An investigation of labor conditions at five Chinese toy factories (Mattel Diecast)
Workers exposed to toxic chemicals without protective equipment, reported injuries, overtime workhours reaching 80 hrs/month among other violations at toy factory.