GBA The Movie Way

Quote:A report condemning Microsoft for using Chinese suppliers who employ children in sweatshop conditions to make its hardware products has recently surfaced.

The factory itself manufactures goods for a variety of clients, with Microsoft said to be their largest customer. Amongst other things, they reportedly make controllers for the Xbox 360 and many of Microsoft’s hardware products.

The extremely lengthy report, which it should be noted displays strong union sympathies and is published by a leftist group with decidedly unrealistic expectations of what to expect from working in a developing country, summarises facts about the workers at Microsoft’s factory:

* KYE recruits hundreds-even up to 1,000-”work study students” 16 and 17 years of age, who work 15-hour shifts, six and seven days a week. In 2007 and 2008, dozens of the work study students were reported to be just 14 and 15 years old. A typical shift is from 7:45 a.m. to 10:55 p.m.

* In 2007 and 2008, before the worldwide recession, workers were at the factory 97 hours a week while working 80 ½ hours. In 2009, workers report being at the factory 83 hours a week, while working 68 hours.

* Workers are paid 65 cents an hour, which falls to a take-home wage of 52 cents after deductions for factory food.

* Workers are prohibited from talking, listening to music or using the bathroom during working hours. As punishment, workers who make mistakes are made to clean the bathrooms.

* Fourteen workers share each primitive dorm room, sleeping on narrow double-level bunk beds. To “shower,” workers fetch hot water in a small plastic bucket to take a sponge bath. Workers describe factory food as awful.

* Not only are the hours long, but the work pace is grueling as workers race frantically to complete their mandatory goal of 2,000 Microsoft mice per shift. During the long summer months when factory temperatures routinely reach 86 degrees, workers are drenched in sweat.

* The workers have no rights, as every single labor law in China is violated. Microsoft’s and other companies’ codes of conduct have zero impact.

Other objections raised are clearly grasping at straws however – the report whines that workers “cannot use their cell phones whilst working,” “have to seek permission to leave the assembly line,” “must trim their fingernails so as not to impede production,” “are searched when they leave the factory,” “are publicly scolded by foremen,” etc.

Just whether the author actually has any idea what is really entailed in factory work, whether in the developed or developing world, is rather questionable in light of such spurious objections.

Of course, although this case specifically singles out Microsoft, such labour conditions form the basis of China’s manufacturing success and most companies outsourcing manufacturing to China can be expected to be employing workers under similar conditions at some stage in their production process.

Ethical quandaries such as whether it is proper for consumers to support such sweatshops in their desire for cheap goods, or indeed whether it is proper to deny poor Chinese the chance at lifting themselves out of poverty by satisfying the developed world’s need for cheap labour, are all uncertain subjective issues, but what is certain is that Microsoft has something of a PR disaster on its hands with this.

Article from Sankaku Complex.
actual report

wow that's messed up, i always thought some sneaker companies used sweat shops in china,it make me feel kinda guilty for owning microsoft products.China should change it government type.

What happened to the kids?

see apple and foxconn.

it's a thing that everyone does.

I like to think that American companies that do this kind of thing don't actually know about it, and I hope that when they do find out about it that they do something about it.

I'm sure some do. Some don't. I hope MS is.

they are not doing a good enough job...

damn RROD

So they didn't need to grow up to work for Microsoft?

Quote:Microsoft Talk
When I grow up, I'm going to work for microsoft!
Moderated By: Bill Gates03, velocity37

God this is horrible, these companies make me sick =(

Well, it looks like Microsoft isn't the evil company actively trying to overwork and screw over kids...

From http://www.edge-online.com/news/microsof...se-factory

Quote:Microsoft Investigates Poor Conditions in Chinese Factory

Microsoft says its investigating allegations of poor working conditions for workers in one of its factories in Dongguan, China.

According to a National Labor Committee report recently, employees at a production line for Microsoft mouse, keyboard and Xbox controller units are being subjected to harsh working conditions, military-style punishments, 15-hour working days and dirty dorm rooms.

Brian Tobey of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices unit said: "We have a team of independent auditors en route to the facility to conduct a complete and thorough investigation," accroding to Reuters.

He added: "If we find that the factory is not adhering to our standards, we will take appropriate action."

Well, hopefully not evil. I guess we'll see when we find out what "appropriate action" is.

Appropriate action = use another facility.

That facility has many more clients than just Microsoft. Microsoft can try to bully them into better working conditions as much as they want, but nothing will come of it. Soon enough, Microsoft will get tired of it (and the constant attention from the press) and eventually decide to move operations to another facility, which might very well turn out to be just as worse, until the press gets wind of it again.

This isn't the first bad thing Bill Gates has done. He didn't give money to charity until the press threatened to tell everyone about it.

(04-19-2010 04:11 PM)Jamesdiamond Wrote: [ -> ]This isn't the first bad thing Bill Gates has done. He didn't give money to charity until the press threatened to tell everyone about it.

Actually, I understand that he's been quite a philanthropist for quite some time, and has given away millions of dollars. He might be a weenie, but he's done a lot of good things with his money, and even I can't deny that.

Here's hoping that they find someplace that doesn't treat the kids this way, but if it's in China, the hope for that is awfully low...

(04-19-2010 04:11 PM)Jamesdiamond Wrote: [ -> ]This isn't the first bad thing Bill Gates has done. He didn't give money to charity until the press threatened to tell everyone about it.

you're talking about the guy who has buildings named after himself AND his wife at UW.

let's not forget that gates saved apple from the brink, to keep competition in the market. apple then came out with the imac.

(04-19-2010 06:49 PM)Luna Saisho Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-19-2010 04:11 PM)Jamesdiamond Wrote: [ -> ]This isn't the first bad thing Bill Gates has done. He didn't give money to charity until the press threatened to tell everyone about it.

Actually, I understand that he's been quite a philanthropist for quite some time, and has given away millions of dollars. He might be a weenie, but he's done a lot of good things with his money, and even I can't deny that.

Here's hoping that they find someplace that doesn't treat the kids this way, but if it's in China, the hope for that is awfully low...

Why do you thing that the kids work? The only way they can make a living is if they have someone to employ them. If you shop companies from employing kids, they die. Rather than making them not work they should be paid more. That's what Fairtrade's for.

(04-19-2010 04:11 PM)Jamesdiamond Wrote: [ -> ]This isn't the first bad thing Bill Gates has done. He didn't give money to charity until the press threatened to tell everyone about it.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org

(04-19-2010 08:02 PM)Bill Gates03 Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-19-2010 04:11 PM)Jamesdiamond Wrote: [ -> ]This isn't the first bad thing Bill Gates has done. He didn't give money to charity until the press threatened to tell everyone about it.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org

Nice charity work Bill

Are you talking about way back in 1994 before the foundation was even started?

Show me the news articles dealing with this before I take your word on it.

It's pretty obvious.

Search charity on his wikipedia page.

(04-19-2010 07:35 PM)Jamesdiamond Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-19-2010 06:49 PM)Luna Saisho Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-19-2010 04:11 PM)Jamesdiamond Wrote: [ -> ]This isn't the first bad thing Bill Gates has done. He didn't give money to charity until the press threatened to tell everyone about it.

Actually, I understand that he's been quite a philanthropist for quite some time, and has given away millions of dollars. He might be a weenie, but he's done a lot of good things with his money, and even I can't deny that.

Here's hoping that they find someplace that doesn't treat the kids this way, but if it's in China, the hope for that is awfully low...

Why do you thing that the kids work? The only way they can make a living is if they have someone to employ them. If you shop companies from employing kids, they die. Rather than making them not work they should be paid more. That's what Fairtrade's for.

Why are you trying to argue this with me? WTF, really! I didn't disagree with you, I pointed out that with all the B.S. that is Microsoft, that Bill Gates is very generous, and you argue with me abut the kid's treatment as if I said anything contrary about it to you. I did *NOT* say that buying from Microsoft was good. I did *NOT* say that the kids should get paid shit and have horrible conditions. I was rooting FOR the the kids, and you defend them as if I said something BAD?! What is the deal here?

Explain.

I was not picking a fight. I was stating something. I was adding to your point not disagreeing. I can't see how you think I was arguing.

Also I never mentioned anything about not buying stuff from Microsoft.