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An Open Letter to the Walt Disney Company
January 18, 2001
To Walt Disney Company
I am working in ... factory which is one of your suppliers in China.
I know your company has sent people several times to visit and investigate
our factory. As a worker, however, I would like to tell you that
most of your findings do not reflect the real situation. Since we
are bullied by the management, we dare not to tell you the truth
when you visit our factory. There is no way for us to revolt against
the management's order. In reality, I deeply know and experience
that our workers' rights are being exploited. Hence, I am writing
to tell you about our real working and living conditions.
The relationship between Disney, ..., and we workers is very close.
I have learned that your company promised to secure our workers'
rights. Hence, it is very important for us to voice out the truth
to you. On behalf of the workers in , I am writing about our situation
and demands:
The extreme poverty in the rural area makes it difficult for us
to earn a basic living. That is why we tear ourselves away from
the family, and travel for thousand of miles to work in South China.
Most of us want to earn money to sustain a decent living. Life is
cruel. It is impossible to live without money. Every time we get
low wages from the factory, a strong sense of unfairness is raised.
We have contributed our sweat and youth to our factory. However,
what we get is very tiny wage. Even in the peak season when we labor
around the clock, most of our wages are about RMB 600-700 (USD73-85).
What's our hard toil for?
- When our factory has insufficient orders, the management does
not give us a living subsidy and allowance. In the slack season,
we are never compensated. No minimum wage is guaranteed. Some
of us cannot maintain a basic standard of living
- After the deduction of living and dorm fees and fines, the
wages we get in the hand are very limited and not enough for our
living expenses. Many of us are only given RMB 50-150 (USD6-18)
a month. Worse still, the fines are never shown on our the payslips
because the management will directly deduct them when they give
us our wages. Hence, your monitors can never find the problems.
- Our wage is calculated by piece-rates and the management sets
us a daily working quota. Working overtime is very common but
we are never fully compensated.
Health is our only capital. Good health can be contributed by nutritious
and hygienic conditions. However, food provided in our canteen is
really poor. Mostly, we are offered vegetables but no meat. It is
not a well-balanced meal. Besides, the dining utensils are always
dirty. People working in the kitchen just simply wash and have no
high-temperature sterilization. It makes virus-spreading easier.
We have even found dishwashing water residue and leftover cleaning
detergent on the utensils. Worse still, those workers who joined
the factory after April 2000 did not get a medical examination.
This suggests that the management is indifferent to our health.
We are very disappointed with the low wages. We always work OT,
for up to 200 hours a month. We work so hard but the wage is so
tiny. Generally, the working and living conditions here are very
harsh. Personally, the most profound issue is that the management
suddenly called us to sign July's payslips three to four months
ago. We were all surprised why the management asked us to sign again
since July's wage had been paid. I have heard that it is because
your people are coming to check our factory. Many workers were not
aware of what's happened and then signed. Some of us wanted to clarify
with the management and asked to examine the payslips. However,
the management refused and threatened us if we refused to sign.
One worker insisted to look at the payslips, but was later fired.
We all wondered if the management had falsified the payslips so
that you will not find out what is really happening. In fact, there
are many tricky methods to fool the monitors and breach the laws.
The management has many excuses to fine the workers and it costs
us a lot of money. Moreover, our wages are seldom paid on time.
Sometimes they delay payment for two months. The management always
uses the excuse the factory's financial difficulties. We could not
get the wages until we call to have a strike. Why's that?
Because of the Socialist Reform in China, we contribute our young
lives and work here. We do not complain about the hardship but hope
our workers' rights are respected and social security is guaranteed.
As members of the working class in China, we know that we need to
voice out the truth to fight for our basic rights. It is the voice
of protest. We are looking for justice. Hence, we call you to try
your best to investigate the true situation in the factory, improve
our working conditions and respect our rights.
Yours faithfully,
A worker in ... factory.
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