Microsoft Supplier in China Forces Teens to Work in Sweatshop Conditions:

[amborin]

Microsoft supplier in China Forces Teenagers to Work 15-hour Shifts Under Sweatshop Conditions

April 16th, 2010

The National Labor Committee has released an in-depth report, “China’s Youth Meet Microsoft: KYE factory in China produces for Microsoft and other U.S. Companies,” documenting terrible labor conditions for teen workers.

A three-year investigation of the KYE factory in Dongguan, China, details terrible abuse by a contractor supplying components for Microsoft and HP, with smuggled photos helping to document various human rights violations. Some of the findings:

* KYE recruits hundreds(some as young as 14 or 15) to work 15-hour shifts, six and seven days a week. A typical shift is from 7:45 a.m. to 10:55 p.m.

* In 2009, workers were at the factory 83 hours a week, while toiling 68 hours.

* Workers are paid 65 cents an hour, which falls to a take-home wage of 52 cents an hour after deductions for factory food.

* Workers have to report early, unpaid, for military-like drills. Management controls every second of their lives.

* The work pace is grueling as workers race to complete their mandatory goal of 2000 Microsoft mice per shift. During the long summer, factory temperatures reach 86 degrees and the workers are drenched in sweat.

Other allegations include sexual abuse and unsanitary living conditions.

http://manufacturethis.org/?p=9568

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. And this is sadly what they love to do

this is cheap labor, and they just love it.

There is more, they have externalized all kinds of costs as well.

[jody]

2. Who cares as long as U.S. consumers get quality products at unbelievably low prices!

Truth with :sarcasm:

[Pharlo]

3. My guess is the summer temperature is an inaccurate number.

In my experience, factories get a lot warmer than 86 degrees Farenheit in summer.

Unless the '86' is an average temp. And, really, when dealing with conditions described here, using an average temperature is an injustice to the workers. Because putting in a 15 hour shift in 100+ degree temps is just plain miserable, and having someone, essentially, downgrade the hardship by using an average temp does NOT do justice to the conditions what these workers are slaving under.

I point this out, because anyone unfamiliar to the average factory environment in summer cannot appreciate how miserable it gets. At least, these workers are not being subjected to summer temperatures in foundry conditions, but somewhere in China, I'm certain there are workers facing foundry conditions in summer. And, their work experience is probably comprable to this group of workers.

[endless october]

4. who do i have to vote for

to get behavior like this tariffed into fucking oblivion?