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Preparing for a major product release is sure to put strain on any OEM, even more so the supplies they employ to manufacturer these devices. Companies like Samsung and Apple have long been known for employing factory workers in China to help cut some of the costs associated with production — nothing new there. But new allegations from a labor watchdog group believe that one Samsung factory, facing higher than normal demand to get products out the door on time, began employing children and under age students to help get the job done.
According to New York-based Child Labor Watch, some of these children worked for Shinyang Electronics in Dongguan for up to 11 hours a day without overtime pay. Most ended up leaving their jobs after about 3-6 months when demand began to subside, all without any kind of severance pay.
Keep in mind Samsung is usually on top of situations like this and in their own external audit, found no evidence of child labor at their sum 100 Chinese suppliers (although excessive working hours and lack of safety equipment were reportedly commonplace). Child Labor Watch is alleging that working conditions at Samsung’s factories were nothing short of “inhumane.”
Amid these allegations, Samsung made a promise to wipe out labor violations like illegal overtime, doubling down on efforts to prevent hires of children with their suppliers. They even went as far as saying they’d sever relationships with factories not abiding by their requests.
Samsung seemed puzzled by these new allegations of child labor, citing 3 recent inspections in both 2013 and 2014 at their Shinyang Electronics factory that turned up not a single child worker. According to Samsung, they’re now “urgently” looking into these fresh new allegations of child labor.
I wonder if Apple had something to do with this since their name is always associated with poor working conditions at Foxconn and the media rarely mentions Samsung…..
It’s just these Chinese factories, man. Whether big companies like Apple and Samsung turn a blind eye to this sorta stuff on occasion, it’s the owners of these factories that are truly at fault. I have a buddy who makes smartphone cases, and he told me some pretty horrible things.
We as a society crave cheep goods. Most people don’t concern themselves with how those goods are made.
My wife and I try to take into account where and how products are made. You can’t buy exclusively American, but you can filter what you buy to a degree.
Thank you for making sense Chris. The reason apple has always gotten so much attention over the Chinese factories is because it’s a big company. As samsung gets bigger each year to the point where it is now well surpassing what apple puts out they’re Gonna have some slip ups with their suppliers and get in trouble.
As you said these Chinese companies just don’t care. In order to stay on top and keep the jobs in their country they have to be cheap and efficient and breaking the law is always an option for some of them. It has nothing to do with apple bribing a watchdog group to get their competition in trouble it’s about the Chinese not caring enough to do anything about a national problem.
But hey when such practices make you the biggest manufactoring country in the world and you have places like the USA begging you to borrow money.. You tend to let things slide to keep it that way.
If Samsung has to get rid of those kids, I’m sure the Catholic clergy will take them!
What a horrible thing to say. Your account should be closed.
Horrible yet true…
I can’t stand when people get offended over the smallest things. Harden up.
I love people with the attitude. “You think differently than me? You should be silenced!” Lighten up. It was a joke. But hey, at least you were brave enough to “like” your own comment :)
Ha! Lennatron is just too sensitive to hear the truth. Yes, Lennatron, CATHOLIC PRIESTS ROUTINELY MOLEST CHILDREN WITH IMPUNITY. It’s been proven.