Samsung To Investigate Child Labour Claims Against Supplier's Chinese Factory

Samsung To Investigate Child Labour Claims Against Supplier's Chinese Factory

Samsung will send a team to investigate claims of child labour at one of its suppliers' factories.

A report by China Labour Watch said that HEG Electronics in Huizhou, which supplies Samsung with mobile phones, DVDs and stereos had employed children under 16.

CLW claimed that seven children were found working in one department alone, and that up to 100 were working in the factory in total, which employees 2,000 people.

The research claimed that the youngest was 14 years old, and earned just 70% of a full adult's wages.

The non-profit group added that workers suffered under long working hours, few breaks and dangerous conditions.

It said in its report:

"Our research indicates that student laborers amount to 80% of the total workforce in the factory. During our follow up investigations, our investigators suspected that there were a large number of child laborers in other departments of the factory, estimating that there may be 50 to 100 children working there.

"These children were working under same harsh conditions as adult workers, but were paid only 70% of the wages when compared with the formal employees.

"Moreover, these child workers were often required to carry-out dangerous tasks that resulted in injury."

Samsung said that two investigations of the factory had shown up no violations. However, in a statement it said it would conduct two on-site inquiries.

The teams will be dispatched on Thursday, it said.

Samsung's statement reads:

"Samsung Electronics has conducted two separate on-site inspections on HEG's working conditions this year but found no irregularities on those occasions.

"A team of inspectors consisting of Samsung personnel from Korea headquarters will be dispatched to Huizhou, China on August 9, and it will immediately launch an investigation and take appropriate measures to correct any problems that may surface.

Samsung Electronics is a company held to the highest standards of working conditions and we try to maintain that at our facilities and the facilities of partner companies around the world."

Several other factories in China, including those owned by Foxconn which supply Apple and other companies with phones, tablets and electronics, have been questioned over their working conditions and labour practices in recent months.

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