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Samsung and Panasonic Accused Over Supply Chain Labour Abuses in Malaysia (theguardian.com)
Samsung and Panasonic, two of the world's leading electronics brands, are facing allegations that workers in their supply chains are being duped, exploited and underpaid in Malaysia. From a report on The Guardian: The two companies have launched investigations into allegations of abuse made by Nepalese workers after a Guardian investigation raised multiple concerns about their treatment. The men said they had been deceived about pay, had their passports confiscated and had been told that they must pay large fines if they wanted to return to Nepal before the end of their contract. They also claimed they were forced to work for up to 14 hours on their feet without adequate rest, and with restricted toilet breaks, in an attempt to settle recruitment fees of up to pound 1,000 -- they said they had to pay this money to secure their jobs. They said they felt "cheated" and trapped in their factory jobs making or assembling components for household electrical goods sold on the global market. "My heart is aching," said one young man who works in a factory making Samsung microwaves. "I was not given the job I was promised. I am doing very difficult work. I haven't got the salary they said I would get."
These companies have been in business for so many decades, and if they knew their suppliers would be doing this, they would've demanded change long ago. If this is true - and I doubt it is - then it's not on Samsung or Panasonic, but the supplier who hires the workers.
Samsung and Panasonic, two of the world's leading electronics brands, are facing allegations that workers in their supply chains are being duped, exploited and underpaid in Malaysia.
This is the *ONLY* reason you build a factory in Malaysia.
As the crown passes from Microsoft to Apple and now to Samsung for biggest computer company, so does the number of "scandal stories". Can't make it to the top without a pile of bodies to climb upon.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
And child labor. Beat those fuckers into submission. Make those fucking shoes people! Merchandise isn't going to make itself.
The restricted toilets breaks... who cares. You don't need to poop every 4 minutes. If you need that option, I'm pretty sure the laws allow you to shit yourself at your convenience.
Disposable Asian workers.
But gig economy, and apps!
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Sew some volleyballs into their chests and they can be ladyboy hookers.
Welcome to 21st century slavery.
http://www.vice.com/video/the-...
Silence is a state of mime.
Seriously though .... I'm not especially well versed in the details of Malaysian government, but it seems they're a Constitutional Monarchy.
As an American citizen, I've never felt that comfortable with a monarchy or any kind of dictatorship securing the rights and freedoms of individuals. At best, a "benevolent dictatorship" is just a temporarily condition, happened upon by the citizens as "pure luck". A monarchy where the appointed king or queen follows a constitution is better, assuming a well written constitution. But again, enforcement of it would fall to the discretion of the ruler, vs. a whole system of checks and balances to help ensure some of it takes place EVEN if the leader isn't too keen on enforcing it.
This unfortunate situation sounds like it's common practice in Malaysia right now, which tells me nobody with the ability to change it in government really has an interest in taking action to do so.
The slashdot kool-aid is strong in this one
Isn't that Nike's old excuse too?
Before anyone rants about how this is an example of how free markets stink, let us be reminded that a key ingredient to free markets, whether they are the sales of the good or the hiring of the labor, is accurate information. Neither the laborers selling their labor nor the customers making the final purchases were much aware of what was going on here until it was too late. In a free (labor) market these people wouldn't be conned into slavery working there in the first place
I'm genuinely disappointed.
I've seen numerous internet articles showing the wide array and quality of Samsung campuses in South Korea, and I've always told my friends and coworkers to buy Samsung, because you're buying Korean, and you're voting for a company with a good track record of clean production facilities and high wages for workers.
I guess Samsung is just as bad as Apple. Or Nike. Or that company that built the Burj Khalifa. I wonder who built it...
Wikipedia.org...Burj Khalifa...
Oh, wait...
Well, that just ruined my day.
We need to do something about trade where works rights are not in place.
Could this be related?
The political science isn't.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
A "constitutional monarchy" is not any kind of dictatorship. The Malaysian system has separation of powers following the American model (i.e. separation between executive, judicial, legislative branches), and the king is neither attached to, nor has any authority over, any of them.
No, there's no king or queen in Malaysia. There's a Prime Minister though. But while there are elections in Malaysia, it's widely believed they are rigged and the whole political process is corrupt. They would be closer to an Authoritarian Democracy.
And the person in power stays in power - over 15 years ago, the opposition party leader was getting VERY popular with the people (who were sick and tired of the governing party). So just before the elections, said opposition leader is arrested and charged with homosexuality (and homosexual acts). Now, Malaysia is an Islamic country, so yes, they were forbidden.
The key evidence though was a "semen stained mattress". Last I heard (a couple of years back) it's STILL being fought in the courts. And this was around 1998 or so. Effectively he's being jailed until he keels over.
And the other part is who is allowed to vote - basically Malaysians (by race) only - if you're Chinese, Indian, etc., you're excluded from the vote.
You've got the vote part wrong there. Malaysian Chinese.... Malaysian Indian definitely do have a vote.. as do certain foreigners that are chartered in, handed ICs and told to vote.
While you're correct about the Authoritarian Democracy part, and the treatment of the former leader of the opposition, there is no exclusion of ethnicities from the right to vote. There is gerrymandering to ensure a larger number of rural (largely uneducated Malay) seats and fewer urban seats where the number of Chinese, Indian and educated Malay voters is larger. And there is a King of Malaysia - he is elected from a pool of 9 state Sultans every 5 years.
If it makes our goods cheaper, who cares what they do? Most people seem to agree that cheap goods should be the #1 concern. If slaves can make thing cheaper, the pain they feel isn't as bad as the savings everyone else gets. On average, we are all better off. /s
Thank you for clearing up the ignorance of the previous poster. Who obviously have no knowledge of what constitutional mornarchy means and draw all sorts of conclusions based on that. He probably doesn't even know UK is a constitutional monarchy system just like Malaysia.
Malaysia does have a king. But the King have very limited powers just like UK. The difference from U.K. Is that the king is actually voted in by the council of rulers (state rulers) and serve limited terms. It's basically the state rulers taking turns to be king. That's because Malaysia is like a federation of states with their own "kings" then when they merge into Malaysia they agree to take turns to vote each other in as the ultimate king. In tradition, they usually just vote each states ruler in turns, but if they fell out with each other then they could vote against tradition.
Additional correction thought.... the very popular opposition you refer to was actually the back then Deputy Prime Minister of the ruling party who fell out with the then PM and got charged with homosexuality then formed a new party and became opposition. Of course he continued to be charged with similar issues even after he became opposition (so you are not totally wrong there). Now the ex PM who the DPM fell out with has also quit the ruling party and started a new party and they are now on the same boat campaigning against the current PM.
The Malaysian system has separation of powers following the American model
More like both Malaysia and America have separation of powers following the British model. Malaysia, as a Commonwealth country, did not get its system of government from the USA, despite the similarities in the flag designs and the makeup of both countries from states.
So the passports r usually taken n held in a company safe somewhere for the basic reason that Malaysia has a large amount of illegal immigrants. Many many maids n factory workers come here n within a week run away. Extremely common (no really). Both the agent from the foreign country n the local agent suddenly are out the money n resources invested to do the paperwork n bring a person over.
Regarding the fines, as related to the above, they don't want non serious workers to sign up n suddenly decide to go home. Its supposed to be stated clearly at the start of the recruitment. Some even require them to put up a bond (like from indonesia) due to higher risk of flight. ...
I used to work at the back of my factory with my Nepalese workers and occasionally eat lunch with them some years ago. Very happy bunch of people, mostly hardworking. They LOVE working overtime (they know why they are here for) and enjoy taking the cheap public trains to the twin towers on the weekends.
They get a paid return ticket to nepal every 2 years as per contract.
Its not that bad as i know. But i work for a good company.
(i can finally post something interesting to /. Yay)