Disney toys made under conditions that violate Chinese labor laws

A contractor that manufactures Disney toys in China has been caught violating China's own labor laws -- which are hardly regarded as exemplary throughout the world.

Workers at a Chinese factory making Disney toys are overworked, underpaid, exposed to dangerous toxins and forced to live in filthy conditions, a labour rights group said in a report Wednesday.

The study, released on the second anniversary of the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, said factory workers complained they were forced to work 28 days a month and up to 15 hours a day.

Staff at Haowei Toys in southern China also are not allowed to take time off during peak seasons, according to the report released by the Hong Kong-based Students and Scholars against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM).

"The conditions at Haowei reflect the failure of the Disney system to monitor and respond effectively to violations of the Disney code of conduct and the workers' rights the code professes to defend," the report said.

Link (Thanks, Shelby!)

[#1 posted by dasnake , September 13, 2007 7:06 AM]

In reality china labor law ins't all that bad, even by western standards (we are no more champions in this area).

Read this article from IHT for more clarifications on new additions to the china's labor law:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/29/business/AS-FIN-China-Labor-Law.php

I think the real problem in china, which is a common problem in country with high burocracy like communist or pseudo-communist states, is corruption.

[#2 posted by philipb , September 13, 2007 7:51 AM]

I think the real problem is western buyers who demand cheaper/faster and "we don't care how that happens." Then they get to wring their hands as those nasty mean Chinese poison our children.

[#3 posted by Tian , September 13, 2007 8:38 AM]

The vertical banner on the left says "[heaven/god] wipe out Disney", and "[Support] Chinese workers" on the right.

The banner on the ground says "Seeking Mickey's heart [ethnics]".

Does this mean Chinese-made Disney toys equal the new "blood diamond"?

[#4 posted by Jennifer Emick , September 13, 2007 10:51 AM]

I read a recent story that mentioned American programmers moving to China for better hours/conditions, so I'm not sure the US is much better.

[#5 posted by nick , September 13, 2007 12:12 PM]

"I read a recent story that mentioned American programmers moving to China for better hours/conditions, so I'm not sure the US is much better."

The US is no leader in workers' rights in my opinion, but I'm guessing those programmers weren't "exposed to dangerous toxins and forced to live in filthy conditions"

Overworked and underpaid sounds about right, though.

But let's remember that we're talking about factory workers, not programmers or other white-collar workers. Factory workers in a country where they don't have unions to protect their interests.

Not that there's much left of the union movement in this country, but that's another story....