Child labor – workers as young as 12 years old, abusive management, unpaid wages and fire hazards in clothing factory.
Incident Tag: Unpaid Wages
International Label Children’s Clothing Made Under Slave-like Conditions in Bangladesh
Production manager routinely slaps and punches young workers for failing to meet production goals; work from 8:00 a.m. to 10-11:00 p.m. 6 days/week; plus 9-10 hour work on 7th day; 94 to 101 hours/week; 41 cents (US)/ hour for senior operator.
Gap and Old Navy in Bangladesh: cheating the poorest workers in the world
14- to – 23 hour shifts, 7 days/week, reaching to massive 210 hours of overtime, even for pregnant women; extreme work hours; beatings; humiliation; death threats; starvation wages (20 to 24 cents per hour); workers visibly sick, exhausted and dazed.
Corruption and Greed: Alianza Fashion Sweatshop in Guatemala
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.
Who Else Continues to Exploit Toy Workers? (2nd Chang ’ an Mattel Toy Factory)
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.
Barbie, Mickey Mouse, Optimus Prime, Thomas the Tank Engine: Who Else Continues to Exploit Toy Workers? (Coronet Toys)
“work is at least 11.5 hours a day” for every Coronet worker handling “poisonous to human health” chemicals with limited or no protective equipment. Their dormitories stack up to 18 workers per room.
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.