Samsung report outlines poor work conditions

Samsung has released a report outlining labour conditions across 100 of its suppliers throughout China, and the news ain't pretty. Under the Protection of Minor Workers section, the report reads "No instances of child labor were found." Good start, but then follows:

"However, instances of overtime hours were identified with 16 suppliers, while minors were found working with chemical handling processes at 48 suppliers, indicating that some safety precautions were inadequate."

In regards to anti-discrimination, nine suppliers were found to have discriminatory content in recruitment notices or contracts with staffing agencies. Discriminatory statements referenced "age, gender, and pregnancy" according to the report.

Working hours for staff didn't fare much better under Samsung scrunity, with the report claiming that "the majority of suppliers" did not comply with China's legally permitted overtime hours. 39 suppliers paid fixed wages, completely disregarding the need to pay workers for overtime. What's more, 33 suppliers actually cut pay as a means of disciplinary action.

The report outlines some of Samsung's efforts to rectify the various problems at its multitude of supply centres, including sorting out an incredible 1,934 work-hazard issues across the Chinese sites.

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