#WorkerExploitation

[unitedventurez]

Behind the Bargain: The Real Cost of Fast Fashion in Shein's Supply Chain

In the bustling industrial hub of Guangzhou, China, the relentless hum of sewing machines fuels Shein’s rapid rise as a global fast-fashion giant. Dubbed the "Shein village," Panyu is home to over 5,000 factories churning out the brand's low-cost apparel for millions of customers worldwide.

Despite its meteoric success, Shein’s operations face mounting scrutiny. Workers endure grueling 75-hour workweeks, often with just a single day off each month—conditions that starkly violate Chinese labor laws, which cap the workweek at 44 hours. Pay is typically piece-based, with workers earning as little as 1–2 yuan per simple garment, pushing them to work longer hours to meet living expenses.

Investigations by the BBC revealed that while factory environments are equipped with fans and proper lighting, the labor practices remain exploitative. Temporary workers often fill seasonal spikes in production, driven by Shein’s data-driven model that quickly scales popular designs.

The company, valued at approximately £36 billion, faces allegations of forced labor and its links to Xinjiang cotton, a region embroiled in accusations of human rights abuses. While Shein denies these claims, critics demand greater transparency, including public disclosure of its supply chain details.

As Shein prepares for a potential IPO on the London Stock Exchange, it has promised to invest heavily in governance and compliance. However, experts argue that true reform requires more than financial investment—it demands systemic change.

For now, Shein’s success story remains a tale of contrasts: groundbreaking efficiency and innovation shadowed by persistent questions about labor exploitation. While the world hunts for affordable fashion, the human cost of these bargains continues to spark global debate.

[buzzzblend]

Legal action against Dutch firms for allegedly profiting from forced labour of North Koreans in Polish ship-building compound

La Strada International, with support of Prakken d’Oliveira and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) have filed an appeal challenging the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s failure to prosecute two Dutch shipbuilding companies for profiting from North Korean forced labour at their supplier’s shipyard in Poland. The human rights groups argue that the Dutch firms knew or reasonably could have known about the inhumane, slavery like conditions that North Korean workers were subjected to, but still went ahead with ordering ship components. Workers sent to these compounds claimed to have endured years of slave-like conditions, including working between 10 and 13 hours each day; pay confiscated and sent to North Korean regime, and dangerous working conditions.

In December 2021, after a preliminary investigation, the Dutch Public Prosecutor found that it could not be established that the Dutch companies had profited from the forced labour. At the same time the Public Prosecution did acknowledge the systematic exploitation of North Korean workers in Poland by companies supplying to the Dutch shipbuilding industry and that “all elements of the description of the crime of human trafficking [were] met”. Contemporary reports by Polish labour inspectors revealed that health and safety regulations were routinely flouted, resulting in accidents and at least one fatality.

The Dutch companies supervised and were involved in the entire shipbuilding process: from the first drawings to the turn key of the last screw. About 80 North Koreans worked at the Polish shipyard in question, where 90% of the work conducted was for the Dutch market. Deliberately taking advantage of the exploitation of another is criminalized in the Netherlands. Acquiring goods which are known or could have reasonably be known to be produced through a crime like forced labour amounts to the crimes of money laundering and fencing under Dutch criminal law. The inhumane working conditions came to light through a Leiden University investigation and a documentary by Why Slavery.

The appeal with the Court of Appeal in The Hague against the decision not to prosecute the Dutch shipbuilding firms is a potentially groundbreaking complaint. The case highlights significant gaps in labour protections within the EU and the lack of remedies available to affected workers. By taking this case forward, the Netherlands has a clear opportunity to enforce corporate accountability for human rights harms in their supply chains and deliver justice.

The case comes at a time of significant changes in the Netherlands -  with a new due diligence law to be discussed before the Dutch Parliament in January. The case also highlights the need for action at the European level. The European Commission has proposed a EU law on business and human rights due diligence as well as a regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour from the Union market. In addition, important legislation on human trafficking and victim rights is under review.

[llivo-team]

Labor Day: Exploited Workers from Taj Mahal to Trump Tower

By Khurram Iqbal

Humanity has come a long way since the days when thousands of laborers toiled endlessly under oppressive rulers. Whether it was the construction of the Egyptian pyramids, the magnificent Taj Mahal, or the countless castles and palaces of Europe, the lives of those who built these wonders were often marked by suffering. Throughout recorded history, millions of human laborers have been exploited, working day and night to realize the dreams of kings, clergy, and emperors.

The history of labor is one of hardship, often marked by the servitude of peasants and slaves under feudalism and colonialism. The exploitation was as vast as the empires that ruled over them. In recent history, we’ve seen an undeniable shift in this paradigm. Industrial revolutions in Europe and America began to emancipate the worker from the fields, although only to place them in the factories. Slavery was abolished in many parts of the world, and the feudal system slowly eroded.

However, the progress has been hard-fought and gradual. In Russia, the czars controlled millions of serfs who were essentially slaves. In France, the royalty luxuriated while the masses of laborers toiled in poverty, as famously captured in the French Revolution. Even as slavery was abolished, the vestiges of this exploitation persisted. The industrial revolution brought about new forms of labor exploitation in factories — women in Chicago, for instance, were forced to work 10-hour days, 7 days a week, in the 1950s under harsh conditions.

Generational Debt and Social Immobility: A Global Reality

Even as we’ve made significant progress in labor rights, we cannot ignore the new forms of exploitation that persist today. In the corporate world, labor laws are often bypassed in the pursuit of profit. Many companies outsource their labor to countries with weak or non-existent labor laws. Sweatshops in China, India, and Bangladesh are well-known examples, where employees work in inhumane conditions, deprived of the basic rights they are entitled to under international labor standards.

In countries like Pakistan and others, laborers in brick factories are trapped in a cycle of generational debt. These workers, often from the poorest strata of society, are forced to take loans for survival, repaid through labor that passes the burden down to future generations. Domestic servants, numbering in millions, face a similar fate, with little hope for social mobility due to oppressive regimes and weak legal protections.

The Cruel Legacy of the Taj Mahal’s Builders

One of the most painful examples of labor exploitation comes from the construction of the Taj Mahal. While celebrated as one of the world’s greatest architectural achievements, it carries a dark history. The masons and artisans who labored to create this marvel were reportedly subjected to horrific treatment. According to a popular, though contested, story, many of these workers had their hands amputated by order of Shah Jahan, the ruler who commissioned the Taj Mahal. This act of cruelty was intended to prevent them from replicating their work elsewhere, forever binding their legacy to the monument.

This brutal act serves as a stark reminder of how human creativity and labor have often been met with barbarity. The hands that built one of the world’s most beautiful structures were silenced by violence — a painful example of exploitation that echoes through history.

Labor Exploitation in Modern Empires: The Trump Real Estate Case

The Trump real estate empire has faced numerous accusations of underpaying undocumented workers. For instance, in the 1980s, Polish immigrants, working illegally, were involved in the construction of Trump Tower under hazardous conditions and were paid significantly less than their legal counterparts. These practices reflect how large corporations and even influential figures may continue exploiting vulnerable workers with limited rights.

I remember a moment from my corporate career when I pointed out that young engineers in certain developing nations were being harassed and overworked in violation of international labor laws. The response I received was disheartening: “Do you want me to change their laws?” It was a stark reminder of how deeply ingrained the exploitation of labor remains, even in today’s globalized world.

The Road Ahead: A Call for True Emancipation

While the labor exploited to build monuments like the Taj Mahal and the underpaid workers constructing modern empires like Trump Tower are in a better phase today, there’s still much to be done. Global corporations must be held accountable for the conditions in which their outsourced workers labor. Additionally, brick laborers and domestic workers across the globe need international attention, as their struggles are often ignored or justified under corrupt systems.

We have made great strides since the days when laborers were simply seen as expendable, but true labor emancipation will only come when every worker, regardless of nationality, gender, or position, is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. As humanity continues to evolve, so too must our respect for the people whose hands build our empires.

References:

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PolitiFact’s Report on Trump’s Use of Undocumented Workers

[nepalinews]

In a concerning revelation, the General ... #childlaborNepal #dailywageworkersNepal #decentworkNepal #economiccrisisNepal #employmentissuesNepal #fail #GEFONT #GeneralFederationofNepaleseTradeUnions #ILOstandardsNepal #industrialenterprisesNepal #industrialsyndicatesNepal #industries #internationallaborday #Khabarhub #LaborAct2074 #laborcourtNepal #labordisputes #laborexploitation #laborforceNepal #laborinspections #laborlawenforcement #laborlawsNepal #labormarketNepal #laboroutsourcingNepal #laborproductivityNepal #laborreformsNepal #laborrightsNepal #laboruniondemands #Minimum #minimumwageinkathmandu #minimumwageinnepal #minimumwageviolation #overtimeviolations #pay #politicalinstabilityNepal #socialsecurityfund #socialsecurityfundNepal #SSFinnepal #unionactivismNepal #wage #wagetheft #workerexploitation #workersrightsNepal #workerswelfareNepal #workingconditionsNepal #workplacesafetyNepal

[dragoni]

Ivanka Trump: Riding on Daddy’s Coattails

“Ivanka spends much of ‘The Trump Card’ massaging the difficulty in her premise. What can a woman born with a silver spoon in her mouth teach people who use plastic forks to eat salads at their desks?”

“In business, as in life, nothing is ever handed to you.

Yes, I’ve had the great good fortune to be born into a life of wealth and privilege, with a name to match.

Yes, I’ve had every opportunity, every advantage. And yes, I’ve chosen to build my career on a foundation built by my father and grandfather.”

- Ivanka Trump

#FakeFeminist #WorkerExploitation #Entitlement #EmolumentsClause