The National Labor Committee has released a new report accusing Microsoft and other tech giants of – get this – abusing Chinese workers. It's said that the software company has contracted a factory owned by KYE in Dongguan, China that uses up to 1,000 students aged 16 to 17 during the summer as part of a "work study" project.
For $0.65 an hour students perform labor such as assembling mice, scanners, keyboards, and more for up to 15-hour shifts. Most stay for a period of three months, but others remains for six months or longer. In addition to school kids, the factory reportedly prefers to hire women between 18 and 25 years old, since they are "easier to discipline and control."
Workers estimate that Microsoft accounts for about 30% of the production at KYE, the largest chunk, while companies like HP, Best Buy, Samsung, Foxconn, Acer, Logitech, and Asus are also named. The National Labor Committee has a lengthy article, complete with photos and employee accounts if you're interested.
Microsoft responded to the accusations, saying it is "committed to the fair treatment and safety of workers" and that it will take "appropriate remedial measures in regard to any findings of vendor misconduct."