[Marxism] China Labor Watch bulletin

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

> Subject:
> Protect the rights of American Eagle and Wal-Mart Supplier Factory Workers
> From:
> "Li Qiang qiang" <clwatch@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date:
> Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:29:21 +0000
> 
> BCC:
> 
> 
> Protect the rights of American Eagle and Wal-Mart Supplier Factory Workers
> 
> China Labor Watch
> 
> June 12, 2007
> 
>       
> 
>      
> 
>     June 12th , 2007
> 
>     The following is an investigative report on one of the supplier
>     factories of American Eagle and Wal-Mart. Based on the information
>     obtained from many sources, including interviews conducted with
>     workers from the factory, this report is intended to document
>     several instances, in which the factory operators violate their
>     workers' legal rights, to disseminate that information to the
>     international community, and to call for corrective actions by the
>     factory to improve working conditions for its workers.
> 
>     Click Here <http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/Juwon.pdf> for the PDF
>     Version
> 
>     Image1: Workers waiting in front of Dongwang City Labor Department
>     pursuing their rights
> 
>      
> 
>     Endless cycle of Pearl Delta Region Sweatshop factories; Dongwang Ju
>     Won Shoe Factory Investigation
> 
>     */Summary /*
> 
>     *I. Factory Profile *
> 
>     *II. Work Hours *
> 
>     *III. Wages *
> 
>     *IV. Work Conditions *
> 
>     *V. Living Conditions *
> 
>     *VI. Benefits and Insurance *
> 
>     *VII. Safety Issues *
> 
>     *I. Factory Profile *
> 
>     Factory Name: Ju Won Factory
> 
>     Address: Dongwang City , East Town District, Zhushang dajintou
>     Village .
> 
>     Dongwang Ju Won Shoe Factory is a Taiwanese corporation invested
>     factory. The Corporation is in possession of seven factories located
>     in Dongwang, Liaobu (Four factories), Hunan Muoyan, and Xizhou. Each
>     factory consists of at least one thousand workers, and Dongwang Ju
>     Won had roughly 4,000 workers. Due to varies reasons such as workers
>     being transferred to other factories, long work hours, strict
>     management, etc., now Ju Won only has roughly a thousand workers.
>     The factory mainly produces sandals and female leather shoes, the
>     products are mainly exported to the U.S. , Japan , etc. Its main
>     clients are Li Wei, Bai Xiao, NW, and American Eagle. In addition,
>     Ju Won is the core manufacturer for Bao Lun. Under the agreements
>     with Bao Lun, Ju Won is not allowed to produce for Wal-Mart.
>     However, according some of the Ju Won workers, Ju Won often produces
>     Wal-Mart's children shoes during the night shift.
> 
>     ** 
> 
>     *II. Work Hours *
> 
>     According to CLW investigators' recent finding, Ju Won imposes long
>     work hours on its workers. Below is the work schedule and
>     description of the actual schedule established:
> 
>     /Schedule //Actual Schedule /
> 
>     Morning 7:30AM~11:00AM Morning 7:15AM~11:00AM
> 
>     Afternoon 12:45PM~5:00PM Afternoon 12:15pm~5:00PM
> 
>     Overtime 6:00PM~11:00PM Overtime 6:00PM~2:00AM
> 
>     Furthermore, the workers who had overtime shift the previous night
>     are still required to work morning shift at 7:15AM. In some cases,
>     such as during the peak season, workers have to work long hours
>     ranging from 13 to 14 hours. In addition, workers only have one day
>     off per month which is the pay day.
> 
>     China 's labor law states, a worker's daily work hours should not
>     exceed over eight hours, and the average weekly work hours should
>     not be over 40 hours. Ju won has clearly violated the Chinese labor
>     law.
> 
>     *III. Wages *
> 
>     Ju Won offers the workers a piece-rate wage. There is no base
>     salary, and the total salary ranges from $800 RMB to $1,300 RMB. One
>     workshop consists of many production belts, and the factory
>     calculates wages by the amount of products produced per production
>     belt. Thus, workers in the same production belt have the same
>     salary. In terms of the wages, it is very common to see workers
>     filing complaints to the local labor department after the salary
>     distribution.
> 
>     *IV. Work Conditions *
> 
>     In the past, each production belt consists of 120 to 130 workers.
>     Due to long work hours and low wages offered, each production belt
>     only has 30 to 40 workers. Thus, workers are experiencing a even
>     heavier workload. In addition, Ju Won only accepts workers ? leave
>     request on each month's 3rd, 13th, and 23rd, it is difficult to
>     leave the factory besides these days.
> 
>     *V. Living Conditions *
> 
>     Upon recruitments, Ju Won states that it covers meal and dormitory
>     fees. However, each month the factory deducts a $2 RMB cleaning fee,
>     a $15 RMB utility fee, a $40 RMB dormitory fee, and a meal plan fee
>     ($200 RMB for managers and $120 RMB for regular workers). The
>     quality of the meals is poor; meat is rarely seen in the meals, and
>     they lack nutrition. In the dormitory, each room houses about 12
>     workers although many rooms are vacant. There is one bathroom in the
>     entire dormitory, and sometimes water is not available making
>     workers' lives very inconvenient especially during the winter.
> 
>     *VI. Benefits and Insurance *
> 
>     Ju Won does not provide medical and social insurance to regular
>     workers. Only employees at the management level may enjoy such
>     benefits. Many workers realize that the factory's promises of wages
>     and benefits differ from the reality, thus many workers choose to
>     leave after one to two weeks. However, these new workers who choose
>     to leave often are either forced to work or not able to receive
>     their salary.
> 
>     ** 
> 
>     *VII. Safety Issues *
> 
>     ** 
> 
>     Workers in the paint department have the worst working conditions.
>     The chemical fumes spread all over the workshop. Workers are exposed
>     to hazardous chemicals, and the factory does not provide workers any
>     safety equipments.
> 
>     ***************************************************************
> 
>     ** 
> 
>     Friends, Chinese workers need your help. Take action now! We
>     sincerely appreciate you help.
> 
>     Sincerely,
> 
> 
>     Li Qiang
> 
> 
>     Executive Director, China Labor Watch
> 
>     Please direct your appeal to the individuals below:
> 
>     American Eagle Outfitters
>     150 Thorn Hill Drive ,
>     Warrendale , PA 15086 .
> 
>      
> 
>     Lee Scott, CEO
> 
>     Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
> 
>     Bentonville , AK 72716 -8611
> 
>     Please sign your name under the following letter to urgently demand
>     American Eagle and Wal-Mart to take immediate measures to improve
>     workers' working conditions in the factory and announce these
>     improvements to the public:
> 
>     To Whom It May Concern:
> 
>     This letter is regarding to your China-based supplier factory's
>     management. I am a consumer, and I recently have read a China Labor
>     Watch's investigation report on your supplier factory, the Ju Won
>     factory. After reading the report, I became very aware and concerned
>     about the workers' situations in the factory.
> 
>     I wish you would take your time to focus on your supplier factory's
>     management and take immediate actions to improve workers' working
>     conditions
> 
>     Regards,
> 
> 
>     Please forward this letter to your friend
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Li Qiang
> Phone: 1-212-247-2212
> Fax: 1212-247-2213
> China Labor Watch
> P.O. Box 4134
> Grand Central Station
> New York, NY 10163-4134
> www.chinalaborwatch.org
> 
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