Core tip: Adidas, a world-renowned sports brand, saw its profits increase by 68.28% in just four years from 2004 to 2007. But how many people know that these profits contain the bitter blood of China's cheap labor. Recently, a detailed investigation report on the Adidas sweatshop appeared on the forum, involving many aspects such as employment, welfare, safety, etc. Through this, you may be able to know how Adidas makes money. Adidas Sweatshop Investigation

Li Qiang

Report Background:

Adidas is a brand from Germany, a large multinational company that mainly produces shoes and sportswear. Adidas' shoes and apparel are extremely popular in various countries, and they are also respected as a famous sports brand. Adidas's profit in 2004 was $646,770,453 (640 million U.S. dollars) and increased to $1,088,393,584 (more than 1 billion U.S. dollars) in 2007. The profit increased by 68.28% in four years. (See adidas annual financial report).

In China, more than 250,000 workers in more than 200 factories produce products for Adidas. Through CLW’s report records, we found that these factories have many flaws: whether it is Chengda, Weili, or Changyelong, workers are treated very poorly. Although only 3 factories were surveyed, these 3 factories gave us a general picture of Adidas's suppliers in China.

Most Adidas workers are women, aged around 20 years old. Most of them come from rural areas and work in factories like Chengda, Weili and Changyelong.

These workers work an average of 6 days a week and 10 to 12 hours a day. They live in staff dormitories, each dormitory has more than 10 employees, and only use one bathroom. Most of them have no pensions or pension insurance. Workers in Changyelong are worried about being late for work because if they are late for 5 minutes, their wages will be deducted for 2 hours. At Chengda, workers are given safety equipment, such as gloves and masks, only when customers come for audits. What’s more, Chengda’s employees can’t even choose their own meals because the factory will automatically charge off their meals without their consent.

Although some Adidas suppliers, such as Chengda, claim that employees work overtime voluntarily, because their wages are very low, they have to voluntarily stay and work overtime in order to obtain overtime pay to survive and provide for their families. They never dare to imagine owning a pair of Adidas shoes, or other products of the Adidas brand, even if these products are made by themselves, because even if they want to, it is impossible to achieve their hopes. Faced with the basic wages, frequent fines and long working hours provided by Adidas's suppliers, workers just hope that the factory can pay them the wages they deserve.

The real beneficiaries of the Olympic Games are by no means the 250,000 Chinese workers on the adidas production line. Instead, it's companies like Adidas that maximize profits by lowering labor costs. Now Adidas plans to relocate some of its production lines to other countries, and the workers' blood and sweat have also been dried up by them. They left the responsibility to China.

In order to sponsor the Olympics this year, Adidas spent approximately US$74,567,918 (more than US$74 million). Looking at the extremely low income of their workers, less than 65 cents an hour, it is not difficult. Imagine where the millions of dollars Adidas paid to sponsor the Olympics came from - the blood and sweat of 250,000 Chinese workers. Adidas's sponsorship of the Olympic Games is three and a half months' wages for these workers. For all the fame and fortune Adidas has gained from it, their workers are still busy on the production line day in and day out, hoping to earn even an extra penny.

Who is the biggest beneficiary of the Olympics? Not the ordinary spectators, those who can watch the Olympics and have the opportunity to watch athletes win and lose, nor the athletes who train hard year after year and stand on the Olympic podium. Instead, it is companies like Adidas that benefit most from the Games, which are meant to symbolize hope and peace. However, employees working in Adidas's supply plants have a hard time identifying with this symbol.

To this end, CLW investigated the three factories of Adidas in China: "Changyelong Sports Goods Co., Ltd.", "Zhongshan Weili Textile Co., Ltd." and "Dongguan Chengda Shoes Co., Ltd." Corresponding investigations and interviews were conducted on workers’ production conditions. According to CLW's investigation report on these three suppliers, the production conditions of workers in Adidas's Chinese OEM factories are relatively poor. The suppliers do not constrain the factories according to Adidas' standards of conduct. The production conditions of the workers are not optimistic. On the contrary, they are giving What Chinese workers face are low wages, extra overtime hours, paid accommodation and food conditions, no social insurance protection, difficulty in asking for leave, difficulty in quitting work, fines, wage deductions, poor safety protection facilities, etc.

"Nothing is impossible" is the advertising slogan of Adidas. However, judging from the CLW report and the investigation reports on Chengda, Weili and Changyelong, it seems that there is another way for Adidas. One thing is impossible: Give employees humane working conditions. Does this seem impossible?

Adidas manufacturing in China, labor conditions of workers

China Labor Watch

August 28, 2008

The report is divided into three parts Parts:

1: Investigation report of Changyelong Sports Goods Co., Ltd.

2: Investigation report of Zhongshan Weili Textile Co., Ltd.

3: Dongguan Cheng Investigation report of Dada Shoes Co., Ltd.

Among them, the typical characteristics of poor production conditions for workers in the above three Adidas OEM factories are as follows:

Low wages:

The wages of workers at Changyelong Sporting Goods Co., Ltd. are calculated on time during pre-employment training, based on the standard of 35 yuan per day, and the basic salary is 770 yuan, but the actual wages are calculated based on individual monthly output. Measured by the ease of production, the average monthly salary of an average employee is about 700 yuan, with only a few department employees earning a relatively high salary of up to 2,000 yuan.

Most of the employees at Zhongshan Weili Textile Co., Ltd. are paid on a piece-rate basis, which is calculated using process cards. The monthly salary that employees can receive is roughly 1,100 yuan to 1,200 yuan, but occasionally the salary will be higher, reaching 1900 yuan.

Workers at Dongguan Chengda Shoes Co., Ltd. are also paid on a piece-rate basis, and the three hours of overtime the workers usually work do not receive overtime pay, and they are still paid on a piece-rate basis. General employees may receive a monthly salary of 1,100 yuan to 1,300 yuan, excluding living expenses.

Extra overtime hours:

Since workers of Changyelong Sporting Goods Co., Ltd. go to work within the time range of 7:20-8:20 in the morning (different by department), except for noon Except for the one and a half hour meal time, there is basically no rest time. Especially during the peak production season, employees don’t even have a day off for a month.

Zhongshan Weili Textile Co., Ltd. usually works 11 hours a day and a six-day work week. If there is a peak season, workers will work overtime until 23:00 or even 24:00 at night. There are also. During work, there is no break and only a few minutes to drink water or go to the bathroom.

The workers of Dongguan Chengda Shoes Co., Ltd. work 10 to 11 hours a day, and the week is basically a six-day system. However, if they are rushing to rush goods and have to work on Sundays, they will arrange rotational holidays. . Some departments work in two shifts, day shift and night shift, working continuously for 12 hours, with one shift per month.

Paid accommodation and food conditions:

In Changyelong Sporting Goods Co., Ltd., accommodation employees need to have 15 yuan deducted from their wages as accommodation fees every month. Employees who clock in to eat in the canteen need to make a reservation in advance, and the prices in the new factory area are 4 yuan and 2.5 yuan, while in the old factory area, each meal is 6 yuan, 4.5 yuan, and 2.5 yuan.

At Zhongshan Weili Textile Co., Ltd., workers who receive piece-rate wages need to deduct 45 yuan from their wages every month to stay in the factory, while workers who receive hourly wages need to deduct more than 50 yuan from their wages for accommodation. Dormitories There is a room for 10 people, and there is no independent shower room and toilet. There are 6 canteens for workers, and the food is divided into low-end and mid-to-high-end. For low-end canteens, 165 yuan is deducted from workers' wages every month, while for mid-to-high-end canteens, 249 yuan is deducted from workers' wages every month. If workers eat in the canteen without applying, they will be fined and deducted one month's food expenses.

If workers of Chengda Shoe Co., Ltd. need accommodation, 40 yuan must be deducted from their wages, but water and electricity expenses must be deducted separately. Employees who eat in the canteen need to deduct 160 yuan from their wages every month, and even workers who do not eat in the canteen will also have 160 yuan deducted from their monthly food expenses.

No social insurance protection:

Changyelong Sports Goods Factory did not take the initiative to purchase statutory social insurance for the factory, but waited for workers to request it before applying for it.

Workers at the Chengda Shoe Factory are not sure whether the factory has purchased social insurance for themselves or what kind of insurance they have purchased, saying that it is not shown on their pay stubs.

Weili Factory will purchase social insurance for its employees, and the 56 yuan insurance premium paid by each employee will be deducted from the worker's salary every month.

Fines and deductions from wages:

Changyelong Sports Goods Factory imposes more penalties on employees, and the fines are also more severe. The factory will pay workers at a rate of 1 point and 10 yuan. Deductions will be made from wages, and if you ask for leave, you will have to deduct 200 yuan from your wages. If you have worked for less than a year when you leave, you will also have to deduct 200 yuan from your wages. And the bonus system was also canceled in May this year.

Zhongshan Weili Factory implements a punishment system based on points. At 1 o'clock, 15 yuan will be deducted from workers' wages, at 2 o'clock, 30 yuan will be deducted, and at 3 o'clock, 45 yuan will be deducted. At 9 o'clock, workers will be deducted 15 yuan from their wages. Removed from office. Employees' bonuses need to be paid based on the factory's production efficiency, peak season, off-season, and individual employee performance. Some are around 100 yuan, and some are 200 yuan.

The punishment system of Chengda Shoe Factory is divided into: warning, minor demerit, major demerit, salary reduction, demotion and expulsion. Among them, those with a warning will be exempted from bonus 10 yuan each time; those with a minor demerit will be exempted. , a bonus of 30 yuan will be waived each time; if a major demerit is recorded, a bonus of 90 yuan will be waived each time.

Poor safety protection facilities:

Changyelong Sports Goods Factory will only give out gloves when customers inspect the factory and visit, and they are brand new. Normally, they will not give them to customers if they ask for them. . There is no air conditioning in the workshop, so ventilation can only be provided through windows, and there are no specialized personnel to inspect the production equipment. During the production process, some positions will be exposed to harmful substances, which have strong irritating odors and harmful properties. In addition, production machines also cause work-related injuries to workers' fingers, but they do not purchase social insurance.

Zhongshan Weili’s workshop does not have air conditioning and the employees are so densely packed that they may feel uncomfortable. There are many production machines in the workshop, so work-related injuries to hands often occur, and the medical expenses after work-related injuries are basically borne by oneself. In areas where workers are exposed to chemicals and other allergic substances, they do not wear gloves, and there are no masks or other labor protection supplies.

Chengda Shoe Factory does not provide workers with certain safety training conditions before they start working, so they can only rely on workers to explore on their own during the work process. The manual workers in the sewing machine department are constantly exposed to glue, but they do not have labor protection supplies such as masks and gloves. The workers said that they are only required during factory inspections.

Investigation report of Changyelong Sports Goods Co., Ltd.

1: Company background

Changyelong Sports Goods Co., Ltd. was established in 1987 and is located in Guangdong Province Changyelong Industrial City, Sukeng Management District, Changping Town, Dongguan City, has three major departments, namely: Founding Far East (mainly producing baseball), Changyelong (mainly producing football), and Longyangchang (mainly producing gloves). At present, the company has nearly 3,000 employees, and its main business is the production and export of sporting goods. Products include: football, volleyball, American football, baseball, knee pads and baseball gloves, etc. Customers include: NIKE.UMBRO.FIMA, etc.

Tel: (0769) 83333308-142/140

Through the survey and interviews with the employees of Changyelong Sports Goods Co., Ltd., it was highlighted that The following questions:

1. The labor contract signed between the factory and the workers is only a formality and is not the result of voluntary agreement by both parties.

2． The working hours are long, and during peak seasons there may even be no days off for a month.

3. The factory implements a piece-rate wage system for most workers, but workers who work too hard cannot get the wages they deserve. And employees said they didn't know how their wages were calculated.

4. The factory did not take the initiative to purchase social insurance for workers, but waited for workers to request it before providing it.

5. The factory provides accommodation and food for workers, but certain expenses need to be deducted from wages.

6. During the production process, the safety protection of employees has considerable hidden dangers. The factory does not have strict safety protection requirements on site.

7. The factory imposes many punishments on employees' behavior and the fines are also severe, but the factory does not show any corresponding rewards to employees.

8. Employees reported that the factory does not have a trade union, nor any organization related to it.

9. The factory will conduct pre-factory inspection training for employees, and prompt workers to report some false benefits that are not consistent with the facts, such as giving workers false pay slips.

10. Factory badges and factory uniforms issued to workers by the factory must be purchased by the workers themselves.

Two: Labor Contract

The factory signed a labor contract with the workers. According to reports, it was made in duplicate after serving the company for more than a month. The contract period is two years. , the trial period is two months, and it is all kept by the factory. The employees said that they didn’t even have a chance to read it, so the factory just pressed them to sign directly, and no one asked to read it. They agreed that there should be no problem in such a large factory.

Three: Working hours

The working hours of the factory vary from department to department. The working hours are from 7:20-8:20 in the morning. It is understood that there is a shift every half hour. The three major departments will be replaced every three months. There is a one-and-a-half-hour meal break at noon. The peak season is from October to February. During this period, some employees do not even have a break for a month. The off-season is from June to September. All overtime work is notified on the same day. Overtime work is the responsibility of the factory. It is required that those who do not want to work overtime must inform the team leader in advance and obtain approval. Employees start working in the morning and do not have any rest time except for one and a half hours at noon. If an employee needs to go to the bathroom, he must report to the team leader and sign, indicating the time of leaving work. There are no production targets, and the factory promises more rewards for more work. However, according to an employee who sewed more than 3,000 balls by hand in May this year (the employee kept a record of his daily output), he should have received a salary of more than 3,000 yuan. However, because of the extra work and the excessive salary, the factory had no excuse. I was paid more than 400 yuan less than the actual salary. I reported it to the human resources department, but they would only delay the payment and ignore it once the salary was paid.

Four: Work Remuneration and Benefits

While the workers were going through the entry procedures, the factory required them to pay 10 yuan to apply for the factory badge, and promised to refund the amount when they went through the normal resignation procedures. .

When talking about whether Ruzili employees can get it back, the employees said, "Don't even think about it." Many employees would not go to the HR department to get it back just for 10 yuan. Moreover, the employees unanimously believed that it was a deposit. Regarding factory uniforms, some employees said they did not need to pay, and some employees said that when they first joined the factory, the factory promised that employees would not be responsible for the cost, but when wages were paid, the factory had already deducted it from their wages (the cost of new factory uniforms). , winter factory uniforms are 20 yuan each, and summer factory uniforms are 15 yuan each (both are old and new, and the old factory uniforms are left by employees who have resigned). If employees don’t want old factory uniforms, they need to pay for them themselves.

It is understood that after employees join the company, they are paid hourly wages during the four or five days of training. Regardless of whether they work overtime or not, the standard is 35 yuan per day. Employees said that the factory initially promised a base salary of 770 yuan per month, 4 yuan per hour for overtime on weekdays, and 6 yuan per hour for Sunday overtime. However, the actual wages were calculated based on individual monthly output and measured by the ease of production. In the sewing department, the minimum charge is 5 cents per ball, and the maximum is 1.70 cents per ball. Employees generally have a monthly output of about 4,500 yuan, and the average monthly salary is about 700 yuan. Hand sewing is relatively expensive, with some employees even paying more than 2,000 yuan. In this factory, except for the packaging department, which pays hourly wages, other departments (winding, boxing, pad printing, silk screen printing, peeling, machine printing, sewing, and hand sewing) all pay piece-rate wages.

The factory originally promised to pay wages at the end of each month (one month’s wages), but employees reported that every time it was delayed to the next month, or even to the fourth or fifth day, and was paid in cash without specifying Salary settlement method.

The factory only provides social insurance after the workers themselves request it. The factory does not prompt or ask employees whether they need to buy insurance (79 yuan per month).

Employees reported that the factory has no paid holidays, no high-temperature subsidies, no double pay at the end of the year, and no holiday gifts or red envelopes. There are usually breaks during holidays. Some employees said that if they need to work overtime, the daily salary is calculated based on the basic salary, which is calculated as three times the daily salary. Some employees said that it is calculated as three times the day's salary.

Five: Food and accommodation conditions

The factory provides food and accommodation. For live-in employees, the monthly fee is 15 yuan, including water and electricity bills, which will be deducted from wages. Those who eat in the canteen need to make a reservation before dining (the meals are basically fixed on each day of the week). There is a clock card machine in the dormitory management office. The price per meal in the new factory is 4 yuan or 2.5 yuan, and the price per meal in the old factory is 6 Yuan, 4.5 Yuan, 2.5 Yuan shall prevail. Breakfast is one yuan.

Eating in the canteen is all vegetarian and the recipes are posted next to the time card machine every day for employees to choose. Most employees are satisfied with this and the taste of the food. However, the hygiene in the canteen still needs to be improved. , the disposal of leftover food is also more casual, with special wooden buckets, and a small amount will be poured directly into the sewer at the entrance of the canteen. Employees will pass through this sewer when eating, which greatly affects their appetite.

There are six dormitory buildings, A.B.C.D (Old Factory), E.F (New Factory). Each dormitory has 10 beds and is quite spacious. Usually, there are about 6 people in a dormitory and a separate bathroom. , with hot water supply.

Six: Safety Protection

For general jobs, gloves will only be issued when customers inspect the factory and visit, and they are brand new. Normally, they will not be given if you want them. You must wear them. Gloves for positions such as washing stencils. Unless the gloves are damaged and cannot be used anymore.

There is no air conditioning in the workshop, and ventilation can only be provided by windows. There are no specialized personnel to inspect the production equipment. Because almost everyone's position in the workshop is almost fixed, the maintenance of equipment depends on personal cleanliness. During the production process, some positions will be exposed to harmful substances, such as ink, 57 water, net washing water, etc. These substances have strong irritating smells and characteristics. Because the factory does not issue gloves, some employees' hands have peeled. Phenomenon, even dry cracking in winter. If these harmful substances accidentally seep into the cracks, it will cause great pain to employees.

It is understood that in the summer of 2006, when a cartoning position was established in the packaging department, an employee’s right thumb was pressed by the machine, and the iron sheet sank in, so that the entire finger cover was crushed, causing the machine to crash and unable to start. , the staff had to dismantle the machine. According to the employee's report, the factory gave the employee a month's leave (with pay). Since the employee did not purchase insurance, the factory did not bear any responsibility, and the medical expenses were also borne by the employee himself. In this regard, The factory only requires employees in this position to be insured.

Seven: Reward and Punishment Measures

Employees reported that the factory would punish employees from time to time and deduct it from their wages at a rate of 1 point and 10 yuan, such as being late or leaving early within 5 minutes. , registration is required. If you arrive more than once or if you arrive late or leave early within 10-15 minutes, you will be deducted 1 point. If you exceed the limit again, you will be deducted 2 points. If you exceed 16-30 minutes, you will be deducted 2 points. Repeatedly exceeding half an hour will be deducted 3 points. Two days of wages will be deducted for missing work for one day, and it is understood that wages will be deducted for asking for leave. However, most employees said they do not know how the factory calculates the calculations, and the specific amount of deductions is not clear.

It is understood that when employees resign, 200 yuan will be deducted for those who have less than one year. The workers are confused and the factory does not provide any explanation. For this, the workers have the idea of ??"I have to leave anyway, there is no need." Or the mentality of "It's useless to ask for it, the factory will definitely not give it to you", and then just walk away.

The bonus (accounting for 10% of salary) will be canceled in May this year. Apart from this, employees said there are no other rewards.

Eight: Other circumstances

It is understood that the factory does not have a labor union or any other organization.

There is an employee handbook for each workshop, and it is up to the employees to read it themselves. However, employees have repeatedly said that the factory employee handbook is only for inspections, and the actual version is very inconsistent with the employee handbook.

Some employees reported that the factory began to promise a monthly food subsidy of 100 yuan, but in fact it was not provided.

It is understood that when customers inspect the factory, the factory will conduct pre-inspection training for employees. For example, if the customer asks an employee whether he or she needs to pay for a new factory certificate. The factory requires employees to answer that the company provides it for free. In fact, they have to pay 30 yuan (60 yuan to replace it in the first half of 2007). For example, when a customer asks how much food costs per meal, the factory requires employees to answer that it is free. In fact, it is 30 yuan. If employees used meal cards before the month, 60 yuan/month would be deducted regardless of whether employees ate in the canteen. For example: when a customer asks whether the factory provides free accommodation, he must answer yes. In fact, it is 15 yuan per month.

For example: when a customer asks if there is a basic salary, he should answer that it is 690 yuan/month for the first month and 770 yuan/month after that. Moreover, he should answer that the whole factory is paid by time and there is no piece-rate wage. What's even more outrageous is that the factory will issue fake pay slips to each employee, and the wages on them are on average five to six hundred less than the actual wages. The workers' understanding of this is that "the factory has already said that they are fake pay slips, and there is no need to do so." The questions were very detailed." In response, they once lamented, "If we really had these wages, we wouldn't have to think about leaving all the time."

There are a lot of boys in this factory. They said that if it weren't for the difficulty in entering the factory, no one would want to stay here. Almost all employees are working and looking for jobs at the same time. What's more, under the guise of "cheating food and housing", in order to find another job.