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Shams Ali

Professor Rogers

Writing 2010

22 March 2018

Factory Workers Meet Poverty

According to many studies, factories in Asia are reporting abuseful acts against workers and

they have not been able to solve the conflicts. Factory workers believe they have not been helped

because media does not report it to the viewers because they might not think it’s entertaining.

Those who have reported explain that only few of the workers are making reports because others

are afraid to report what they have been going through due to either getting fired or punished by

the owner. Those who have reported are making complaints about being paid under minimum

wages and sometimes they are cutting their hours they have worked. Reports also show that the

employees rights are being taken away from them. Experts have gathered evidence and have

agreed that the factory system in Asia has got to change, factory workers have to have equal

rights as any other workers.

Many of the factory workers have complained that they have worked a 15 hour shift with a

one 15 minute break during the whole shift. Often these factories are located in Asia and

undeveloped countries. Based on sources many of those factories are high brand chains, Gucci is

known to dress stars and fashion models only and according to the store it has high quality

material and a basic piece would cost a 1000 USD. The Gucci factory is based in Shenzen, China

and the employees were interviewed and many explained that it is a very harsh environment for

the employees. According to an employer “We’re forced to ask permission to use the toilet or
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drink water, work extra hours unpaid and pay for any items that were stolen from the

shop”(Moran). This explains that they can’t take a break, drink water, or go to the restroom.

According to the Chinese law every shift has got to take a break so the worker can rest and have

a positive attitude to customers and coworkers. Based on studies Gucci is a company that has

good shares and has made a great reputation to those customers who love their products,

employee’s are wondering why they are treated that way when the company has great reputation.

Moran then shows more steady evidence of how the employees are getting treated, Moran

interviewed 5 former members that wrote a letter to the Global Time newspaper in China hoping

they would take care of the conflict. Those 5 former members explained “In total, they claimed

the company imposed more 100 ruled that they adhere to”(Moran). According to this piece,

employee’s have to obey more than 100 rules which they thought was overly strict. According to

Moran employee’s are struggling because they are working a 13-15 hour shift almost everyday

with no breaks there isn’t a lunch break either. On a normal basis human beings are supposed to

eat 3 meals a day to be able to function. Employee’s at Gucci can’t take any break and they have

to ask for permission for a drink of water. Connecting the crisis that Gucci employees are having,

Taylor who was investigating Dongguan Plan, a European food chain which has a factory in

China are facing the same conflict as Gucci. They were called the “Labor gang” and they have

reported “The work organisation was set by the nature of job, which was mainly to lug heavy

boxes to irregular hours and pay. Work was done for an average 10 hours a day, and extra

workers were recruited as needed”(Taylor). The European company made the employees do

labour for 10 hours a day with no days off and paid under minimum wage. Ross agrees with the

wage and finds another evidence proves “ paid by the piece you have been a bit slower today...if
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the multiplication was done you did not make the $5.15 an hour that is the legal minimum wage-

though the official records will show you did because two of your hours are not recorded”(Ross).

Again showing that some of the hours the employee’s have worked dont get recorded and

sometimes they also get paid under minimum. Again, showing that Dongguan and Gucci systems

are similar they are giving long shifts with no breaks. Those companies both get recognized for

high quality products, meaning the company employees are working to make those high quality

products and they believe they deserve of a more break/work balanced system to keep producing

those high quality products.

Research shows factories don’t have age restrictions and they also don’t check employee’s

backgrounds when hiring. The Swedish chain H&M is based in Myanmar where they hire any at

any age as long as they can perform the work needed. Writers met with employees in the factory

“Kartstrand and Tobias Andersson Akerblom met with 15-year-old girls who were working until

10pm in breach of Myanmar’s laws and the International Labour Convention”(Butler). Those

writers met these girls that were working until 10pm which is against the Myanmar Law. Those

girls are still minors and according to an international they should be under an adult’s

supervision during the night instead they were doing labour at 10pm. The Swedish company

went against the law and so far they haven’t been questioned by law enforcement. Evidence

shows that since it has not reached/reported to the government. These 15 year old girls are

considered to be overworking because of their young age so it can lead to health problems.

Health problems tend to show up in other factories, A Gucci employee reported “The company

was a ‘flamboyant gown’ that ‘hides a lot of lice’ and alleged that some pregnant staff had

miscarried under the strain”(Moran). This shows the company hides secrets and one of their
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employees had a miscarriage during her shift. Studies show pregnant women have to be healthy

to give birth with no problems and one the factors of being healthy is feeding the fetus. However,

according to evidence they didn’t have lunch breaks so these women didn’t have time to eat

which resulted a miscarriage. Laws state that employee rights are having the right to have lunch

break and a 15 minute break for every 4-5 hours to remain good health which those factories

above don’t practice. Another source discusses health issues at a toy company that works with

Toys R Us has reported additional retailers code “The codes prescribe that employees have the

right to health and safety education to avoid work related accidents. Among the nine examined

suppliers, only one provided health and safety education”(Egels-Zenden). Showing only 1 of the

9 employees have had health and safety education, If this is a company rule then all the

employee’s must follow it because it’s a rule that should be followed to avoid accidents and

maintain their health. Usually any place that has a rule the manager or the higher ups must check

on every employee on whether they meet the requirements to work or not.

Based on an article from New York Times, studies show that high end products are fraud

because the chains are making it in China but on the brand tag they are saying its made

somewhere else. Prada is known to manufacture in Italy however reports are finding “Hsu news

broke, telling Women’s Wear Daily that prada does not manufacture its products in China -

though if you look inside one Prada’s popular nylon toiletry cases, you’ll sometimes find a small

tag that states otherwise”(Thomas). Prada has given a false statement and giving credit to Italy

when its made in China. Given the false statement Mr.Hsu wasn’t questioned by the reporters

because of unknown reasons. The author of this article (Thomas) has made a personal statement

where she explains her experience in China. When Thomas visited China she observed the ladies
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that were working at a leather factory “I saw this first hand when I visited a leather-goods factory

in China, where women 18-26 years old earn $120 a month sewing and gluing together

luxury-brand leather handbags, knapsacks, wallets, and toiletry cases… for a brand whose

owners insist is manufactured only in italy- cost $120 to produce”(Thomas). This shows women

are getting $120 a month which is under minimum plus they work everyday which is the same

with all the factories that have been discussed. Also it states that the products are getting made in

China but the owner writes on the tags “Made In Italy”. Thomas continues her experience about

the leather factory “That evening, I saw the same bag at a Hong Kong department store with a

price tag of $1200- a typical markup”(Thomas). Thomas witnessed the same bag that was

produced for $120 is for sale in the market for $1200, This explains the false statements of those

products that are believed to be made in Italy when they are truly made in China.

These experts have gathered many sources and show what is going on in Asian factories,

those high end chains are giving false statements about where the products are made. Based on

evidence Asian factory workers have no rights and work illegally due to many factors. Those

factors include age, health, wage, and breaks. Few of the employees are reporting their

experiences at the their work hoping to find a solution and get back their job rights. Employees

are complaining because they are expected to produce high quality products when the same time

the owners of the factories are giving no rights.

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References

- Zhang, Ye. 2003. Migrant Women Negotiate Foreign Investment in Southern Chinese

Factories.

Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society. ​29(2): 540-543.

Zhang, Ye, Joe Young and Virginia A. Hulme. 2002. Hope for China’s Migrant Women

Workers. ​The China Business Review. ​29(3): 30-36.

- Egels-Zandén, N.

Suppliers' Compliance with MNCs' Codes of Conduct: Behind

the Scenes at Chinese Toy Supplier Journal of Business Ethics, 2007, 75(1), 45-62

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9237-8

- ​Ross, R. J. S..​Slaves to Fashion: Poverty and Abuse in the New Sweatshops.​ Ann Arbor:

University of Michigan Press, 2004. ​Project MUSE​,

-https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/aug/21/hm-factories-myanmar-employed-14-year-

old-workers

- https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/23/opinion/23thomas.html

-http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2048307/Gucci-store-workers-China-Abused-badly-su

ffered-miscarriages.html
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