[net-gold] 'We Are Like Prisoners': Apple, Microsoft Face Slave Labour Claims
- From: "David P. Dillard" <jwne@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Temple University Net-Gold Archive <net-gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Temple Gold Discussion Group <TEMPLE-GOLD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Net-Gold <net-gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Educator Gold <Educator-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Educator Gold <Educator-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, K12AdminLIFE <K12AdminLIFE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Net-Platinum <net-platinum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, NetGold <netgold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Net-Gold @ Nabble" <ml-node+3172864-337556105@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, K-12ADMINLIFE <K12ADMIN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, net-gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 07:36:54 -0400 (EDT)
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From: Sue Fraser <xcschild@xxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: Net-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: Net-Gold <Net-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Net-Gold] 'We are like prisoners': Apple,
Microsoft face slave labour claims
'We are like prisoners': Apple, Microsoft face slave labour claims
Asher Moses - April 15, 2010 - 2:22PM
The world's biggest technology companies are failing to stamp out child
labour and abusive working conditions in their Chinese factories despite
repeated accounts of human rights violations.
Recent reports reveal our insatiable lust for the latest gadgets is having
a shocking impact on workers in countries such as China, who are being
made to work more than 80 hours a week in sweatshop conditions for as
little as 52 cents an hour.
Human rights group the National Labor Committee (NLC) released a report
this week saying KYE, a factory in Guangdong province that supplies
Microsoft, recruits hundreds of "work study students" aged 16 and 17, who
work 15-hour shifts, six and seven days a week.
The report, produced after a three-year investigation, found workers were
treated like prisoners and share primitive dorm rooms, sleeping on small
plywood planks and having to buy their own food and mattresses.
It even alleged sexual harassment of female workers by security guards.
In March, Apple said at least 11 15-year-old children were discovered to
be working last year in three factories that supply the company. It also
revealed that at least 55 of the 102 factories that produce its goods were
ignoring Apple's rule that staff cannot work more than 60 hours a week.
It said it had rectified the issue and conducted a complete analysis of
hiring processes.
But the Telegraph.co.uk Shanghai correspondent, Malcolm Moore, reported
this month that an 18-year-old female worker at the Foxconn factory that
produces iPads became the fourth person in as many weeks to attempt
suicide by jumping from one of the factory's buildings.
In its report on the KYE factory, the NLC said that, in 2007 and 2008,
before the recession, "workers were at the factory 97 hours a week while
working 80-and-a-half hours".
"In 2009, workers report being at the factory 83 hours a week, while
working 68 hours," the NLC said. It said workers were paid 65 cents an
hour, "which falls to a take-home wage of 52 cents after deductions for
factory food".
<http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/
we-are-like-prisoners-apple-microsoft-face-slave-
labour-claims-20100415-sfrp.html>
or
<http://bit.ly/9VwJFs>
The entire article can be read at the above URL.
Sincerely,
Sue Fraser
xcschild@xxxxxxxxx
.
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- » [net-gold] 'We Are Like Prisoners': Apple, Microsoft Face Slave Labour Claims - David P. Dillard
