Report on Hasbro's sweatshop conditions

[blueshift]

Here's a report on Hasbro's factories in China which has just been published. I don't know about you guys, but bloody hell, this is outrageous

www.globallabourrights.org/reports?id=0642

•Workers housed in filthy, over-crowded dorms, infested with rats and bed bugs. Workers report they cannot sleep at night from the bed bug bites.

•Workers describe factory food as "Pretty much like swine food."

•Workers allowed less than 9 minutes to assemble each Hasbro Transformer, for which they are paid 17 cents.

•"We are drenched in sweat," workers say. Factory temperatures soar to 104 degrees F in summer.

•During peak season, workers toil 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, while earning a take-home wage of just 92 cents an hour.

•Workers undergo three body-searches each day, are not permitted to talk or lift their heads to look around, and need permission to use the bathroom.

•Hasbro is open to the hiring of 14 and 15-year-olds on a "case-by-case basis."

•Workers in the spray paint department fear they are being exposed to dangerous solvents.

•There are no fire drills and some emergency exits are locked.

•During the slow season, hundreds of workers are fired under false charges so management does not have to pay their legal severance.

•Workers are cheated of paid sick leave and maternity leave.

•Workers describe their work as mindless, miserable, constantly monotonous, yet furious and exhausting.

[Bogatan]

Appalling, but can not say I am remotely surprised. It's the nature of corporations and the western public's demand for cheap goods in action.

[blueshift]

Dec 19, 2011 22:42:53 GMT Bogatan said:

Appalling, but can not say I am remotely surprised. It's the nature of corporations and the western public's demand for cheap goods in action.

I found myself not surprised, which on reflection is shocking in itself. This sort of thing shouldn't just be a shoulder shrug, reading that article really hit it home for me. It's just not good enough.

I've written to Hasbro voicing my concerns, I impore you to do the same. I wasn't sure where to send an email, but shot one off to their [e-mail] address

[kayevcee]

So... what do we do about it? Send it round the TF news sites? General news sites? Maybe contact some papers and get the word out there? Papers tend to love a bit of scandal, and this is nothing if not scandalous. The time of year is perfect, with parents and families feverishly buying up every toy in sight. It might shame Hasbro into improving conditions, or at least the weight of bad PR might force them.

-Nick

[blueshift]

And it's not even the first time Hasbro has been called out on this sort of thing apparently! www.globallabourrights.org/reports?id=0254

[The Doctor]

I have seen the summary and will read the report in full this evening. So far the TF sites seem to be ignoring it.

-Ralph

[blueshift]

Dec 20, 2011 8:05:27 GMT The Doctor said:

I have seen the summary and will read the report in full this evening. So far the TF sites seem to be ignoring it.

-Ralph

It made a big splash on the Allspark and tformers, to be fair

[The Doctor]

I stand corrected. I had not checked there yet.

If true, I hope this blows up in Hasbro's faces.

-Ralph

[Bogatan]

Dec 20, 2011 8:13:25 GMT The Doctor said:

I stand corrected. I had not checked there yet.

If true, I hope this blows up in Hasbro's faces.

-Ralph

It may blow up briefly, but then it will be forgotten about again. These stories crop up every couple of months and nothing ever appears to change. Sometimes its toys sometime fashion or sports etc but the story is always the same.

Expecting corporations to change of their own free will is like hoping a Lion will refuse to eat an Antelope that walks up to it and slits its own throat.

Individuals working for them may not be total scum but the gestalt entity is only interested in maximising profits and thats not going to change. And since they all appear to be as bad as each other if you boycott one you have to boycott all of them and then you probably are left growing your own food and weaving your own cloth to make your own clothes.

Blueshifts second link says that Chinas laws are being ignored, which means the factories are getting away with it because China allows them to. Until the Chinese government changes its stance I can't imagine much will be done.

Wow I'm feeling very negative today it seems.

[blueshift]

Things do change though. There was a time where it was perfectly acceptable to send small children into the working machinery of factories, and it was an occupational hazard that they would get limbs ripped off as a result. No-one wanted to improve safety because it meant they would get less profits so everyone shook their head and sighed but at least they got cheap textiles.

It isn't like there's only one factory in China that Hasbro HAS to use. They have a choice, and should be inspecting their factories to ensure they comply with their ethical agreements made when they signed their contracts, and move production to a more appropriate location if not. There's no excuse for that as the bare minimum, none at all.

If everyone just spends a few minutes to write an email to Hasbro, that might at least make them think about complying with their own ethics that they claim to run their business by.

[Benn]

Well, I've twittered the link, does anyone have Hasbro's e-mail address?

Alternatively, like my favorite radio show used to say: "I shall write to The Times about this!"

[Bogatan]

Dec 20, 2011 9:38:10 GMT blueshift said:

Things do change though. There was a time where it was perfectly acceptable to send small children into the working machinery of factories, and it was an occupational hazard that they would get limbs ripped off as a result. No-one wanted to improve safety because it meant they would get less profits so everyone shook their head and sighed but at least they got cheap textiles.

If companies were allowed I suspect many would still happily be acting that way here in the UK. The fact that they have moved out to China to carry on in the same ways seems to support that view. Changes do happen over time and some times business are behind it. A few (actually maybe many) businesses a hundred years ago also chose to put workers rights ahead of (some) of their profit or at least believed happy healthy employees were in the long term cheaper and more productive or were strongly motivated by religious belief. But that was a time with individuals running companies not multinationals where people can turn a blind eye to what is clearly wrong.

But in the end it was changed because laws were put in place and then enforced. The changes came because government was pressured to change laws not because businesses were pressured to change working practice.

Dec 20, 2011 9:38:10 GMT blueshift said:

It isn't like there's only one factory in China that Hasbro HAS to use. They have a choice, and should be inspecting their factories to ensure they comply with their ethical agreements made when they signed their contracts, and move production to a more appropriate location if not. There's no excuse for that as the bare minimum, none at all.

Actually I'm not entirely this is correct, I'm under the impression they had to use the factories being used by Taktom. And we've all been in a job when someone has come around for an inspection and everything is spruced up and things that are never done are suddenly rigorously enforced.

I dont for a second believe Hasbro doesn't know the working conditions, but nor does it mean they can do much about it if I'm right in thinking its more of a Taktom decision.

Dec 20, 2011 9:38:10 GMT blueshift said:

If everyone just spends a few minutes to write an email to Hasbro, that might at least make them think about complying with their own ethics that they claim to run their business by.

On I'm not suggesting this shouldn't be done, (though aiming emails at Hasbro UK is probably of much less use than at the main Hasbro set up in the US) just that every time I have seen one of these stories followed up 6 months later little if anything has changed.

[Shockprowl]

That is a very disturbing report. Shameful that Western companies opperate in such a way.

[Hero]

Appalling.

What can be done to help change this?

===KEN

[The Doctor]

Voting with the wallet would be a good start. As would dropping Hasbro a polite note.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

www.bleedingcool.com/2011/12/21/hasbro-responds-allegations-of-harsh-conditions-for-transformers-workers-china/

[Hero]

Gonna do that. TBH I've hardly acquired many Hasbro products lately (aside from MLP for Blaise).

I feel right now that I can't buy Transformers or anything with the Hasbro logo on without conviction.

Nick gave the e-mail link to me, so I'll better get started on that note.

[kayevcee]

Good start. Just sent this missive to Hasbro US:

"Dear Hasbro,
I have been a fan of Transformers toys and stories my entire life. I got the original Ratchet and Mirage for Christmas when I was 2. My mum used the Marvel UK comic to encourage me to learn to read. More recently I attended the US charity premier of the first Transformers movie in 2007, the proceeds from which went to the Hasbro children's hospital. I generally thought Hasbro was great. Then I read the attached report.

I was absolutely disgusted by the conditions described in the factory where my once-beloved Transformers toys are produced. Employees are grossly overworked, underpaid, malnourished and denied even the basic rights afforded to labourers by Chinese law. I would gladly pay higher than current UK prices for new figures if I knew that they were produced by workers that were healthy, safe and fairly compensated for their time and skill.

It troubles me to look around my home and see figures that could be the result of such suffering. I will not be buying any more Transformers products until I hear from an independent source that conditions at your factories have improved dramatically and that you are (at least) adhering rigorously to local employment regulations.

I am also forwarding this report to every news site and paper I can think of. I do not wish to bring your company into disrepute, but I cannot think of any other course of action that would more effectively influence you to make changes for the better.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Davidson"

You can find the link to their customer service email dealie here. I'm not sure if the messages get through or not- I had to log in on the next page then got a paragraph of what I think was English asking me to contact Hasbro UK consumer affairs. Emailed them too. Is anybody contacting news sites? Like... proper ones?

-Nick

[The Doctor]

Hasbro denial:

www.bleedingcool.com/2011/12/27/hasbro-responds-harsh-transformers-labour-allegations/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BleedingCool+%28Bleeding+Cool+Comic+News+%26+Rumors%29

-Ralph

[blueshift]

Dec 27, 2011 16:05:38 GMT The Doctor said:

Hasbro denial:

www.bleedingcool.com/2011/12/27/hasbro-responds-harsh-transformers-labour-allegations/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BleedingCool+%28Bleeding+Cool+Comic+News+%26+Rumors%29

-Ralph

Interesting

I suspect the truth lies somewhere in the middle, given the factory has had sufficient warning to cover up whatever it has been doing, but it's good to see Hasbro taking stuff seriously

[kayevcee]

Followup email:

"Dear Hasbro,

I am impressed by your self-confidence, sending the same standard letter to me and website Bleedingcool that you sent to major newspapers the Sun and Metro when they ran this story. I am also impressed that you would so blatantly lie me and to papers with millions of regular readers. The abuse and degrading conditions suffered by Hasbro employees has been going on for at least three years:
www.globallabourrights.org/reports?id=0254
You must have learned about it then, and you did nothing.

Do you expect congratulations for reducing the amount of compulsory overtime from fifty hours a week to thirty, or for reducing (but not eliminating) the number of staff assaulted without reason by security staff then fired for "fighting"? If you treated prisoners of war in ths manner your factory directors would be arrested and tried before the Hague for breaching the Geneva conventions.

I don't care what regulations you claim to adhere to or how seriously you claim to take these allegations. Fix this. Treat your employees with basic human dignity. Give them decent pay and legal benefits and health cover that they can claim and proper ventilation and appropiate protection from the toxins in your manufacturing processes. Sort it out, or you can expect many more letters like this from disgusted and horrified former Hasbro customers.

-Nicholas Davidson"

Let's see if we get the same response back.

-Nick

[Shockprowl]

By God that's a brilliant letter, Nickos.

[Hero]

It is indeed. I am still yet to complete mine.

Have Hasbro replied to anything at all?

[kayevcee]

Yep. I got a response back on the 29th:

"Dear Nick,

Immediately following some unsubstantiated allegations posted by an outside group regarding working conditions at the Jet Fair factory, Hasbro, together with ICTI, deployed a team to investigate, as we take such claims very seriously. Following an unannounced, nine-hour inspection of the facility this past week, we are satisfied that Jet Fair meets with Hasbro’s rigorous requirements.

While Hasbro is committed to continual improvement in all facets of corporate social responsibility, including continued ethical product manufacturing at Jet Fair and all factories that produce Hasbro products, the inflammatory allegations made by the NGO in their report were unsubstantiated by our investigation. As a matter of course, Hasbro will continue to monitor conditions at Jet Fair and all of our factories.

The Company has a strong track record and has had long-standing policies and processes in place for years to help ensure good working conditions, including health and safety, at factories making our products. We strive to conduct business throughout our supply chain in accordance with the highest ethical standards, and we utilize not only ICTI-- but also our own on-the-ground workforce-- to monitor social compliance.

For more information about Hasbro’s comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, including more detail regarding Hasbro’s policies and practices related to ethical product manufacturing, please visit Hasbro.com/csr."

So... yeah. Not sure how to respond. Referring to a 30 page report with pictures and witness testimony as an "unsubstantiated allegation" just doesn't ring true.

-Nick

[The Doctor]

I notice that TF websites are still mostly ignoring it.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

In response to some tweets I made, Marc Graham (whom many of you will know) blogged on this very issue:

eejitsblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/chinese-factory-workers/

-Ralph

[legios]

It is a good blogpost that, well worth reading for some cogent thoughts on the subject. A shame that this doesn't seem to have received any traction in the wider Transformers fandom. It is something that I think should at the very least be debated and it is a little bit regretful that it doesn't seemed to have sparked much in the way of comment.

Karl

[Bogatan]

Honestly from attending botcon for a few years it can be scary how important Transformers are to some people. The toys could come covered in human blood and they'd be more concerned with the toy being damaged than where the blood came from.

In a few cases I swear I don't think that's an exaggeration.

Having read through the report I have to admit I feel like I shouldn't trust it entirely nor Hasbros response. As Matt said the truth probably lies somewhere between.

Only skimmed Marks blog will give it a proper read tomorrow.

[Bogatan]

I think the biggest problem I have with this is that I feel like I'm reading propaganda rather than a factual report. Its the same feeling that caused me to stop reading newspapers regularly.

Its the equivalent of reading a report on the Tory government written by Labour. Or vice versa.

I don't for one second believe that that factory is in anyway a pleasant place to work and Hasbro should do all they can to improve conditions, but well I'll take the bullet points.


•Workers housed in filthy, over-crowded dorms, infested with rats and bed bugs. Workers report they cannot sleep at night from the bed bug bites.

The alternative as reported and why it isn't feasible.

“I want to. That way there wouldn’t be any more bed bug bites. But living
outside would cost at least 300-350 RMB ($47.16-$55.02) including utilities. I
don’t care much about food, but it would still cost 400 RMB in total ($62.87).
Fifty ($7.86) for phone service, 50 RMB ($7.86) for internet, 100 RMB ($15.72)
for snacks and fruit, and 200 RMB ($31.44) for clothes. That’s 1,200 RMB
($188.63) in total. I only make 1,300 RMB ($204.34) a month, and if I meet with
some friends, then I won’t have any money left. I can’t afford the rent.”

This seems to be viewing the two extremes as if there is no middle ground. Either sleep in a crowded hell hole or have a nice place to myself. A few co workers sharing a small flat may still have to sleep 2, 3 or 4 to a single room flat room, but for only slightly more money it would be a big improvement over the dorm.

Maybe there are reasons such an option isn't available but if so I want to know why not. The lack of that information annoys me.

•Workers describe factory food as "Pretty much like swine food."

I realise I'm being flippant but I know people at work who would say the same thing about the food served at work some days.

The above worker says to live on just the basics would cost 400RMB, they pay half that for the factory food so its not hard to believe the food is bad. Again it doesnt give any reason/suggestion/evidence that alternatives such as a packed lunch or going out aren't available so I assume they are. If they were locked in or not allowed their own food I'm sure the report would have prominently featured it.

•Workers allowed less than 9 minutes to assemble each Hasbro Transformer, for which they are paid 17 cents.

•During peak season, workers toil 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, while earning a take-home wage of just 92 cents an hour.

Sounds bad to us when our minimum wage is several times that, but the cost of living is obviously vastly different. Also when you sit and look at the more detailed figures it doesnt always quite look as bad. When they are talking about how wages are so low its hard to save they use the basic wage of 40 hours a week and dont mention the time and a half wages for the 30 hours a week overtime for 4 months of the year.

When they want to talk about over worked employees and illegal hours they pull up the 70 hours. 70 hours is obviously bad, but my Dad worked 66 hours a week (6 days a week) all year (minus holidays) for the best part of 10 years in an industrial job. It was his choice, so different, but that was all year not 4 months.

•Workers undergo three body-searches each day, are not permitted to talk or lift their heads to look around, and need permission to use the bathroom.

Theres something ironic to me about highlighting the searches as another case of of poor conditions while the same report shows multiple items smuggled out of the factory. The rest well not talking, not listening to music and some of the other examples given in the report seem petty but if thats what the employer wants. The toilet breaks is just baffling if its as bad as suggested, surely no one can focus on the job while holding it.

•Hasbro is open to the hiring of 14 and 15-year-olds on a "case-by-case basis."

I know its different here but since secondary school I've been convinced that there are certain people who by the age of 14 for whatever reason should not be forced to endure traditional education. I'm not saying stick in a factory but apprenticeships would be a more sensible approach. So with that in mind and the report not going into details of the case by case (well I cant find it now that I'm rereading it) hiring I can't just sit here and assume its a bad thing.


•Workers describe their work as mindless, miserable, constantly monotonous, yet furious and exhausting.

That sounds like the majority of jobs I've had, I'm just not sure what point it has.

These are the ones that really I see as issues

•During the slow season, hundreds of workers are fired under false charges so management does not have to pay their legal severance.
•Workers are cheated of paid sick leave and maternity leave.
•There are no fire drills and some emergency exits are locked. - although thinking about it, in 5 years I've only done one of these.
•Workers in the spray paint department fear they are being exposed to dangerous solvents.
•"We are drenched in sweat," workers say. Factory temperatures soar to 104 degrees F in summer. - even from a business perspective surely cooler employees would be more productive.

And even with these I come back to something vaguely suggested in the report, but that I found while googling in more detailed articles. China's factories have a labour shortage, wages are becoming more competitive, so if working for Jet Fair is so bad other factories are hiring. I cant find the section now but I am sure it says somewhere that a large number of employees are laid off in the quiet months so likely do find work at better factories.

This isn't slave labour which I feel is what the report wants us to see it as. Its a really crap employer, but like I said at the top I really feeling the report is trying to hard and as a result I find myself not believing it.

As for Hasbros involvement I just wonder how much they can do to oversee it. At the very least I hope they do inspections regularly as it may force the factory owners to clean up the dorms on a semi regular basis and stop some of the other practices too. Though taking the report on face value I expect the workers would be the ones forced to do the cleaning,at the end of a long working day so they may not see it as such as bonus.

[The Doctor]

I'm done with buying new TF toys for the foreseeable, personally. Yes, I have no doubt many of our luxury goods are produced in such ways (even allowing for bias, etc in the now infamous article) but when I know how some of them are done I just can't stomach buying them.

-Ralph