Samsung is Accused of Mistreating Chinese Workers
China Labor Watch (CLW) reported "illegal and inhumane violations" at Samsung’s factories in China including 7 workers under the age of 16. With all the bad press resulting from Apple’s August 2012 $1billion patent infringement victory over Samsung, the title of CLW Report says volumes:
An Investigation of Eight Samsung Factories in China: Is Samsung Infringing Upon Apple’s Patent to Bully Workers?
CLW’s reference to Apple’s “Patent to Bully Workers” refers to the fact that Apple has been accused of mistreating Chinese workers at the Foxconn plant in Shenzhen where allegedly children no more than 12 worked on assembly lines.
The CLW Report lists 16 Major Sets of Labor Mistreatment including the following:
- Forced and excessive overtime,
- Exhausting working conditions,
- Forced work without pay, Inhumane treatment of workers,
- Abuse of underage workers,
- Charging workers inordinately high fees to be hired, and
- Lack of worker safety
These are very alarming claims which make the Apple v. Samsung battles even more complicated, and unsavory.
