Fast fashion retailer Shein said in late 2022 it might make changes after investigations found Chinese staff at its suppliers were working excessively long hours, however it’s something recent report A Swiss advocacy group claims that nothing has modified for workers.
Public Eye found that employees of Shein suppliers worked greater than 75 hours every week and sometimes seven days at a time – a direct violation of the corporate’s code of conduct for suppliers, which states that employees work a maximum of 60 hours every week and a minimum of 1 You are allowed to have time on the day. Additionally, Chinese labor law states that staff should have one time off per week and work not more than 40 hours per week, with time beyond regulation not exceeding 36 hours monthly, Public Eye wrote.
The advocacy group surveyed 13 employees between the ages of 23 and 60 in the summertime of 2023 to learn more about working conditions at Shein suppliers within the greater Guangzhou area in southern China. One of the respondents (whose identity was not disclosed) said he worked from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every single day and only took one time off a month.
“I can’t afford any more days off because it costs too much,” the person told Public Eye.
In addition to the excessive working hours, employees sometimes needed to work across the clock. If staff make a mistake while sewing, they’re forced to repair it without pay, respondents told Public Eye.
“Whoever makes the mistake is responsible for making up for it. “You have to fix the problem on your own time,” said a 50-year-old supervisor at one in every of Shein’s suppliers.
The report also warned Shein’s suppliers about safety risks, including failure to implement a smoking ban that would cause a fireplace because textiles are flammable. Workers interviewed said factory inspectors checked work equipment and escape routes, but didn’t check compliance with smoke-free rules.
“The fact that most of the products and fabric scraps were simply piled on the floor increases the risk of fire,” the report said.
The Singapore-headquartered company relies on a network of 5,000 third-party sellers to meet its orders, in line with its website. Shein doesn’t disclose details of its financials, but a 2020 report in Chinese media estimated its annual revenue about $10 billion. In January, one in every of his key partners said that he “much more than 30 billion dollars.”
Public Eye’s latest report follows one Investigation 2021 It first described the excessive working hours and lack of days off amongst Shein suppliers. Public Eye reported on the time that staff at Shein suppliers in Guangzhou’s Nancun district worked greater than 75 hours every week and had just one time off monthly. A yr later, Shein said it might invest 15 million dollars Improving working conditions in its suppliers’ factories.
Shein, for its part, said Monday that it doesn’t recognize “many” of the allegations in the most recent Public Eye report, but a spokesperson for the corporate said in a press release that it has made “significant progress in improving conditions across our ecosystem.” The spokesman added that Shein’s wages were higher than those of other employers and were above the local minimum wage.
“SHEIN is investing tens of millions of dollars to strengthen governance and compliance across our supply chain and empower our suppliers to build more successful and responsible businesses, and we will continue to make significant investments in these areas,” the spokesperson said Assets in an email.
