manufacturing plant workers in China tasked with build up Amazon ’s popular Echo speakers and Kindle e - proofreader are exposed to horrendous work environments and conditions that often are in violation of Chinese practice of law , arecent reportfrom a guard dog radical found .
China Labor Watch spentnine months investigatingthe workings conditions of a Foxconn - possess factory that manufactures Amazon intersection in the city of Hengyang , China . It found workers were force to work an absurd amount of overtime , given unequal education , and display to below - standard safety precaution that put them in harm ’s fashion .
concord to the report card , workers tasked with commit together Amazon Echo devices and Kindle tablets were required to lick more than 100 hours of monthly overtime during peak season — nearly three times the 36 hours per month limit state in Chinese labor law . In addition to special overtime , workers were also required to show up to their station 10 minutes before their slip starts without recompense . Many worker were also need to put to work 14 years straight without a day off — all for a wage of about $ 2.26 per hour .
“ All workers are open to foresightful hour and scummy wages , ” thereport said . “ As pay are low , workers must bank on extra time hour to earn enough to defend a decent touchstone of living . ”
The situation is often even worse for “ communique doer , ” or temporary staff who are play into the mill when more hands are needed . The case of DoL remains democratic in China because the despatch company — not the factory — is considered to be obligate to the actor , so manufactory operators can duck the rule and misuse labor law .
The account aver the Foxconn manufactory often go past the number of dispatch workers allowed , and those workers were asked to function ridiculous hours for less pay . communique worker did n’t receive high wages for overtime hours and were offered only amateur wan leave , and were required to cover their own fees for a strong-arm interrogation when starting work at the factory .
The factory often foreswear the 24 - hour pre - job training requirement for workers , offering just eight hour of experience and safety preparation before localise workers on the assembly line of descent . The safety place was even defective in the dormitory where workers lived . The dorms had no emergency exits and did not have fire asphyxiator or other canonical safety caution .
The China Labor Watch concluded thereportby saying :
Amazon has the ability to not only see its provider factories observe the right of worker but also that there is equal salary for equal piece of work . Amazon ’s profits have come at the disbursement of prole who labor in appalling working conditions and have no selection but to work excessive overtime hours to have a livelihood .
Amazon told Gizmodo it completed its own audit of the Foxconn manufacturing plant construct its products back in March and found “ two issues of concern ” that command addressing .
“ We immediately request a corrective action plan from Foxconn Hengyang detailing their plan to amend the issues identified , and we are conducting regular assessment to monitor for carrying out and compliance with our Supplier Code of Conduct , ” A spokesperson for Amazon say Gizmodo . “ We are attached to see that these issues are resolve . ”
Amazon has come under fervour in recent months over its labor practices in the US as well . Arecent reportfound that the company ’s warehouse are take to be one of the most serious workplaces in America , and its warehouse workers oftenlive off intellectual nourishment stamps . You ’d think a society headed by therichest man in the worldwould be able to do a little good for the workers that it swear on to operate .
[ Bloomberg , the Gaurdian ]
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