Corpobligation action: TNCs should pressure suppliers, but should not abandon them
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China Labour Watch released a detailed report about the
labour abuses of 8 Chinese toy companies.
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Should there be a recall of the products? Or compensation to
workers?
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Ironically, Mattel recalled millions of products because of
the potential of lead paint to harm children in the United States;
yet, in cases where workers have certainly been harmed, the odds of
a human rights related recall are low. But what about a human rights
return action by consumers?
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The report provides excellent recommendations including: do not
abandon supplier factories, but rather commit to them and be
resolute in making sure that violations are corrected. Not
only take responsibility for their suppliers’ legal infractions,
but go a step further and strive to actively improve its workers’
lives.
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Spelling note: labor (USA) labour (Rest of english world).
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How does this relate to corporate obligation? Labour
conditions are possibly the area where corporations can take the
largest role, especially, when they are prompted by NGOs like China
Labor Watch.
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Question: When will human rights abuse of workers be as
important as potential harm to children?
Investigations on Toy Suppliers in
China; Workers are still suffering
August
21st, 2007
Press Release - China Labor Watch has just
released a forty-one page report based on Chinese suppliers to
multinational corporations. The report incorporates approximately
eight toy factories, and the course of investigation is from December
2006 to August 2007. The reported factories are affiliated with
Bandai, Chip Jap Co, LTD, Disney, E.Box and Eager, Fox TM, Gosh
International, Hasbro, Meid LTD, Russ Berrie, Sanrio, Seeds Co. LTD,
SEGA, Takara and etc.
Recommendations to Toy Companies - China
Labor Watch (CLW)
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Obey
Chinese labor laws and regulations to the letter.
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Pay
their supplier factories a reasonable price for their products.
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Not
abandon supplier factories, but rather commit to them and be
resolute in making sure that violations are corrected.
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Not
retaliate against workers who file complaints.
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Not
only take responsibility for their suppliers’ legal infractions,
but go a step further and strive to actively improve its workers’
lives.
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Offer
workers a living wage, which sustains a worker’s basic needs, not
just a minimum wage.
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Urge
their supplier factories to provide workers with high quality safety
training and generous work injury insurance—not grudgingly doled
out, bare protections.
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Publicize
all the results of factory audits.
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