Apple staff in Chinese factories labouring under 'deplorable' work conditions

Beijing, June 29 (ANI): Workers at Apple factories in China have complained of experiencing ' deplorable' conditions, a Chinese labour rights watchdog has claimed.

China Labor Watch (CLW) said a four-month investigation of 10 suppliers to Apple in southern and eastern China uncovered violations of workers' rights, including excessive overtime and hazardous work conditions.

According to the watchdog, other problems comprised inadequate trade unions, excessive use of agency labour, poor food and routine cheating of overtime pay, The Independent reports.

The organisations also revealed that the investigation in factories based in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Jiangsu Province showed abuses exist across Apple's Chinese suppliers and are worse at non-Foxconn factories.

Apple had earlier admitted it had a human rights problem at its biggest Chinese supplier, Foxconn, in February when it launched an investigation by the Fair Labour Association following the suicide or attempted suicide of 13 Foxconn staff.

The FLA found 'serious and pressing' concerns over excessive working hours, unpaid overtime and health and safety failings.

CLW revealed that workers at Apple factories could take off one day a month, but, sometimes during peak demand, they worked every day for several months.

All the factories except Foxconn City made heavy use of short-term 'despatched labour', whose pay and conditions were worse than contracted staff, the watchdog said. (ANI)