The Next Time You’re in ASDA or Wal-Mart . . .

When did you last buy something in either ASDA stores (UK) or Wal-Mart (US)? Like me, it might have just been recently, BUT I was in ASDA to buy some groceries. You see I don’t have anything against ASDA when it comes to such provisions as fruit and vegetables, soft drinks, biscuits, kitchen items, cakes and newspapers. It’s all the rest of the stuff I have a problem with. Why? Read on...

A recent China Labour Watch (CLW) report revealed the most austere working conditions amongst staff of manufacturers such as Fuhua Textile, Yi Kang Textile, Yi Xing Shun Fashion Manufacturer, and Regina Miracle International Limited. All of these factories (or sweatshops) had/do recently produced for internationally well-known brands such as Adidas, Bali Intimates, Hanesbrands Inc., Piege Co (Felina Lingerie), Quiksilver, Regina Miracle Speedo, Walcoal America Inc., and Wal-Mart.

In this particular investigation, CLW conducted an independent research on four textile/garment factories located in Guangdong Province (south China, skirting Hong Kong). Sadly, though major corporations claimed to have their own aspect of ethical standards in terms of maintaining corporate social responsibility, the investigation still discovered what can only be called inhumane, substandard and down-right appalling employment conditions among their suppliers.

Consider this; would you work for your employer under these conditions:

· Workers are required to work nine hours per day as regular hours in addition to five to six hours of mandatory overtime during peak season which accumulates to 14 work hours per day - about 420 hours per month.

· Staff are not protected with social insurance until after one full year of employment.

· Factories lacks basic safety training, thus workers and products' safety is questionable.

· No freedom of association exist in the factories which results in workers not having a fair playing field in terms of organising and protecting their rights.

· New staff are required to pay a one time £2.60 (40 RMB) health examination fee, £1.25 (19 RMB) summer uniform, £1.60 (25 RMB) winter uniform in addition to a £20.00 (300 RMB) monthly deduction from the monthly wage for the first three months. In other words, a total of £65.45 (984 RMB) wage deduction is imposed on new workers in their first three months.

· Workers are paid by the hour of usually £0.25 (3.59 RMB), and without overtime, it is impossible for staff to sustain themselves. From the living costs shown below, gathered by CLW investigators in 2007, one can begin to appreciate workers' difficult circumstances:

- Rent: about £12.00 (180 RMB) / month
- Utilities: about £ 6.00 (90 RMB) / month
- Living expenses (food, daily commodities, etc.): about £ 24.00 (350) RMB / month
- Education (tuition for children):
Kindergarten = about £ 32.00 (490 RMB) / month
Primary / Elementary School = about £ 150.00 (2,200 RMB) / term
Secondary / Middle School = about £ 180.00 (2,695 RMB) / term

Only from the statistics shown about education, is it not hard to imagine that almost none of these workers can afford to provide their children proper education, thus the endless cycle of poverty may possibly surround these workers for generations. In addition, without working overtime, it is merely impossible for workers to receive an actual living wage. How they exist from day to day is beyond all human comprehension.

So the next time you amble into ASDA or Wal-Mart with a wallet or purse full of pounds or dollars to spend on your next pair of boots or shoes, just think twice about what you have read here. There is every possibility that they have been manufactured by an employee of the above mentioned sweatshops under these depressing conditions.