Dell, Asus suppliers accused of exploiting underage labor

Earlier this week, two labor rights watchdogs accused Dell and other company's Chinese-based suppliers of exploiting their factory workers, including some of which are minors.

The Danish nonprofit DanWatch says the factories in China's Guangdong and Jiangsu region force workers to work for up to 74 hours per week, at below the Chinese minimum wage. The workers are also subject to verbal abuse, adds the report.

Additionally, the China Labor Watch (CLW) says the companies are employing underage labor, making the gross abuses even worse.

"When companies compete on supplying computers in the cheapest way possible, and when our public buyers aim for the cheapest wares on the market, a high human cost is paid," Eva Hesse Lundstr�m, DanWatch editor, added. "Our research shows that the conditions at Dell's suppliers violate [International Labour Organization] conventions and Chinese labor law as well as Dell's own policy."

Four factories building PC parts for Dell, Asus, HP, Samsung and Microsoft were part of the investigation.

Among the abuses, workers living in on-site dorms have one toilet for every 55 workers, and one shower for every 90. All workers are subject to up to 136 hours of overtime per month. Many are young students.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 9 Nov 2013 18:29

SomeBozo

How is this exploiting child labor? If the countries in which it is being done it's not illegal, then where is the offense...

I know i worked on stuff for one company and then purposely took certain things off shore as to not do certain things on U.S. soil and completely get around the laws here in the U.S. by doing it else where.

Personally my moral views would consider what the company i worked for should be liable, but that is not how the laws are written.

I'm a veteran and support and would have died serving my country defending those rights for people. However if another country desires to have laws, or lack of them because they live by a different standard, that is that country's choice to do so?

10.11.2013 13:50 #1

ddp

Chinese labor law as well as Dell's own policy."

10.11.2013 14:37 #2

hearme0

Originally posted by SomeBozo: How is this exploiting child labor? If the countries in which it is being done it's not illegal, then where is the offense...

I know i worked on stuff for one company and then purposely took certain things off shore as to not do certain things on U.S. soil and completely get around the laws here in the U.S. by doing it else where.

Personally my moral views would consider what the company i worked for should be liable, but that is not how the laws are written.

I'm a veteran and support and would have died serving my country defending those rights for people. However if another country desires to have laws, or lack of them because they live by a different standard, that is that country's choice to do so?

edited by ddp

"How" you ask "HOW???"

Dell is a US owned/operated biz with the vast majority of its sales rooted in the U.S.A. It's illegal here making it highly immoral and [possibly] illegal under U.S. and int'l trade laws...........either way edited by ddp, YOU DON'T SCREW OTHERS TO MAKE A BUCK!

And if you do then people like me are put on earth to put your asses back in line! Been there done that.

Dell had best get to the bottom of this and resolve or pull its frakkin' business!

SOrry Moderator for name calling but this Stalinistic member view is one AfterDawn can do without!

10.11.2013 21:25 #3

ddp

hearme0, bull shit on calling that member's view "Stalinistic"! post edited on the name calling. if you don't like it than complain to site admin as i answer to them not to the members of this site like you.

10.11.2013 21:38 #4

SomeBozo

Originally posted by hearme0: Originally posted by SomeBozo: How is this exploiting child labor? If the countries in which it is being done it's not illegal, then where is the offense...

I know i worked on stuff for one company and then purposely took certain things off shore as to not do certain things on U.S. soil and completely get around the laws here in the U.S. by doing it else where.

Personally my moral views would consider what the company i worked for should be liable, but that is not how the laws are written.

I'm a veteran and support and would have died serving my country defending those rights for people. However if another country desires to have laws, or lack of them because they live by a different standard, that is that country's choice to do so?

edited by ddp

"How" you ask "HOW???"

Dell is a US owned/operated biz with the vast majority of its sales rooted in the U.S.A. It's illegal here making it highly immoral and [possibly] illegal under U.S. and int'l trade laws...........either way edited by ddp, YOU DON'T SCREW OTHERS TO MAKE A BUCK!

And if you do then people like me are put on earth to put your asses back in line! Been there done that.

Dell had best get to the bottom of this and resolve or pull its frakkin' business!

SOrry Moderator for name calling but this Stalinistic member view is one AfterDawn can do without! Dude, you need to chill and read my post again.

First off i don't support or like what the company where i worked did, i think it is an end run around the laws in the U.S. for profit. However welcome to the new world of globalization we are in now. If a multinational company does like the laws in one country, they just do it in one where it is.

Secondly, i'm only reporting the issue/situation of what companies are doing in the name of profit, again not my view what they are doing is ok, and one of the main reasons for me not to be working there any longer. However this practice is going on and there doesn't seem to be a way for any governing agency to stop it.

Thirdly, as a veteran that served the U.S. to defend it's laws and statutes the U.S. has it's laws and protections it provides because people fought and struggled for them. This is not true in other countries and those countries and their citizens have every right to the government(s) they put in place and fight for. I'm not one that thinks the U.S. should be out being the policemen of the world fighting for the rights of individuals in foreign countries. If the laws and government in China are not upheld and defended by it's citizens then then get the government they deserve?

In closing and sad to say, and listen close to me, i don't like nor support the end run around the U.S. laws but if people are able to get around it and manipulate the laws in a given country, it is the responsibility of that country to stand up and enforce the laws which they have, if the government won't do it then the people of that country need to stand up and act. If they don't then the people in that country deserve the government they get.

You may disagree with me, but more I think about it this is the hard cold facts of how the world and business works. Complain and call me all the names you want, you only then ignoring what is actually going on and playing right into the hands of those doing this crap.

10.11.2013 22:53 #5

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