An Investigative Report on Dongguan Dongwon
Executive Summary
(Dongguan Dongwon Factory)
On November 21, 2018, China Labor Watch received a complaint from a worker at Dongguan Dongwon Electronics regarding the working conditions at the factory. The worker mentioned that workers were putting in 170 hours of work a month, were given only 15 minutes for meal breaks and the factory employed a large number of dispatch workers that was well over the legal limit. After receiving the complaint, China Labor Watch sent in an investigator into the factory to conduct an undercover investigation. The investigator worked on the production line and interviewed workers. This is CLW’s first investigation into Dongguan Dongwon Electronics.
Located in Guangdong province, Dongguan Dongwon Electronics is a key supplier of Huizhou Samsung Electronics and predominantly manufactures mobile phone chargers and car chargers. The factory employs approximately 500 workers.
(Inside the workshop)
The investigator worked at the factory for several weeks and found a host of rights violations at the factory:
● No pre-job safety training. The investigator only received a three-minute demonstration on how to operate the machine in his work position
● Wages are not cleared on the day of resignation. Whether a worker is employed or has resigned, wages are paid around the 28th of every month
● Workers sign blank contracts
● Workers usually work approximately 55 overtime hours a month, and during peak season, workers put in more than 100 overtime hours a month
● Temporary workers do not receive overtime pay. They are paid 15 RMB/hour ($2.23 USD/hour) regardless of whether they work regular hours or overtime hours.
● Workers are not provided with adequate labor protection equipment. The soldering position creates hazardous smoke, and the stamping position generates a lot of noise. However, workers in these positions do not receive any labor protection equipment.
● Bed bugs in the investigator’s dormitory room
● The factory did not have any information regarding a union and workers are unsure whether it exists. The investigator did not hear about a worker hotline. If workers have issues, they can only speak to the line leader or the workshop foreman.
(Workers taking a nap during their break)
(Dormitory Bathroom)
(Dorm Room)