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By Simon Caldwell
Catholic News Service
LONDON (CNS) — The British bishops’ Catholic
Agency for Overseas Development has endorsed a report accusing some of
the world’s best-known electronics companies of exploiting poor
workers in Mexico.
The report, compiled by Mexico’s Center for Reflection and Action
on Labor Issues, told of more than 230 cases of alleged abuse in interviews
with 2,000 people who worked for companies such as Hitachi, Hewlett-Packard,
Nokia, Philips, Dell, Motorola, Foxconn, Lenovo and Intel.
“Electronics Multinationals and Labor Rights in Mexico,” released
Feb. 8, includes accusations that health and safety procedures are ignored
or are nonexistent. Workers who earn an average of $9.50 a day were forced
to stand for 12-hour shifts, and one woman, six months into her pregnancy,
was made to stand for seven hours.
Some workers said they are exposed continually to toxic materials while
others have been forced to work on defective machinery, which in one instance
led to a female worker having both hands severed.
The report also found that part-time or temporary employees working in
the supply chains of some of the biggest electronic firms sometimes are
forced to sign undated letters of resignation so they can be fired at
any time or without just cause.
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