Taiwan

Taiwan seems to be having labor issues, according to an article entitled Critics Accuse Taiwan of Operating Sweatshops by Andrew Perrin, Taiwanese garment conditions are described as being 'Straight out of a Charles Dickens novels' activists say. Taiwan garment factories set up in Central America to produce goods for the U.S. market. According to Charles Kernaghan, executive director of the National Labor Committee, Taiwan has the worst reputation in terms of their treatment of workers. Examples of this include obligatory overtime, physical violence, union busting and pregnancy tests as a condition for employment.

A decision to fire and sue union leaders at its Chentex plant in Managua caught the attention of the National Labor Committee . The workers were 8 cents per hour and complained about poor ventilation, limited bathroom breaks and physical abuse when they didn't comply with their rules. They were paid 20 cents for every $30 pair of jeans delivered to such major retailers as J.C. Penney, Target, Sears, Kmart and Wal- Mart and the military. Colleges demanded action from congress. As a result, the plant lost orders from its U.S. buyers and were demanded to re-hire the people that were fired.

Nien Hsing vice chairman John Chen of the plant in Managua says his company employs more than 13,000 people in Nicaragua alone and ignored U.S. labor activists who criticize Taiwan as people who want to protect U.S. business interests.

It's nice to see the U.S. took action, hopefully something they are still doing. This article stood out to me when i read the $60 a month salary the workers get while being subjected to physical and verbal abuse. The response of the vice chairman makes me wonder what is going on to though.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0815-02.htm