Reebok Sweatshops

In sweatshops affiliated with Reebok, there are workers as young as 13 years old who work below the minimum wage and are forced to work overtime."Not only are Nike and Reebok violating the most basic tenets of Chinese labor law, they're also flagrantly violating their own codes of conduct," said Chan Ka Wai, assistant director of Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee. Despite the underage labor, children are employed in the sewing,handwork and cutting departments of the factory. These factories constantly violate minimum wage laws and workers are forced to work up 72 hours a week. This violates the company's code for a 40 hour week and China's labor law, 44 hours a week. Those who refuse overtime can be fined, docked an entire day's pay, or even fired. Workers who become pregnant are often fired.This violates China's labor law granting workers maternity leave. Workers lose fingers and hands using the machines and are exposed to dust and chemicals that cause anemia and leukemia. The chemical is so toxic that it has been banned from the US and Europe. Even talking are punishable by fines and a deduction of pay. Workers have even reported to have been beaten on the job by security guards and verbal abuse by supervisors.


http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_45/b3706008.htm