Shanghai Jingtiao Knitting Co Ltd, a company with Japanese
investors, has been accused of using child workers.
"The evidence we've collected up to now confirms that the company
is using child labor," said Zhang Shaosheng, a supervisor with the
Municipal Labor Inspection Division.
The actual number of child laborers employed should be verified
within a week.
"The Jingtiao case is the largest we've ever detected in Shanghai
in terms of employing underage workers," said Cai Lanzheng,
interest department secretary of Shanghai Women's Federation.
According to Labor Law, the company will be fined 3,000 yuan
(US$361.4) to 5,000 yuan (US$602.4) for each child laborer it has
employed.
Besides the alleged use of child workers, the company is accused of
deferring paying workers and forcing the employees to work long
hours and live in primitive conditions.
The company's living quarters are in a two-story building. The
building has eight rooms, each holding eight to 15 people. The beds
take up what little space there is, the workers said. Meals consist
of only one or two vegetables.
Salaries are even more meager. Workers are paid only 100 yuan
(US$12) the first month, and they have to work 25 days in that
month. Some apprentices get only 50 yuan (US$6.02) after working
four months, according to Shanghai Youth Daily.
The company also stipulates that workers cannot go on vacation
during the busy season. Otherwise, they will be fined 30 yuan
(US$3.60).
Some people reportedly have to work even when they are sick.
Nearly all of the approximately 400 workers are younger than 18
years old - a clear violation of law. Most are female and come from
poor areas in Anhui, Henan and Sichuan provinces.
"I'm only wondering whether the local district governments know
these acts are illegal," Cai said. "If they do know, why didn't
they report it to the relevant municipal sectors? This shows there
is still a lot to do to improve the city's legal environment."
(China Daily
08/29/2001)