Amazon’s Kindle and Echo Dot: serious labour violations in China at Foxxconn factory

In 2017 Amazon earned over $3 billion in profit, reaching record highs that exceeded Wall Streets expectations  ((https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/01/amazon-blows-past-wall-street-expectations-for-holiday-quarter/?guccounter=1)). This information is difficult to correlate with the new report that has been recently released by the NGO China Labour Watch.

The new report details the oppressive labour conditions faced by dispatch workers at Amazon’s factories in China  ((http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/upfile/2018_01_12/20180610.pdf)).  One of the subcontractors used by Amazon is the notorious Hengyany Foxxconn. This is not the first time that Foxxconn has faced issues of labour violation, as we have documented previously on our website  ((https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-china-labor/foxconn-says-investigating-labor-conditions-at-china-factory-used-for-amazon-idUSKBN1J610V)).

In their latest investigation China Labour Watch (CLW) has confirmed the Hengyang Foxconn factory, which manufactures Amazon’s Kindle, Echo Dots and tablets, has hired 40% dispatch workers, significantly over the 10% legally allowed. These workers do not receive the same training or benefits as regular workers, including only providing unpaid sick leave  ((http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/report/132)). In addition, long overtime hours have been documented for all types of workers as well as the underpayment of overtime. According to CLW “Other major issues at the factory include inadequate fire safety in the dormitory area, lack of sufficient protective equipment, absence of a functioning labor union at the factory, and strict management who subject workers to verbal abuse.”

A summary of the Rights Violations documented by China Labour Watch are given here

The full report from China Labour Watchis available here.