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"As a global labour movement, we must join together and confront abuses. We must let these vulnerable workers know that we have their backs." — Larry Brown, NUPGE President
Ottawa (27 Oct. 2016) — A new report of "countermeasures" and instructions to managers to "isolate employees," "punish leaders," and "induce internal conflicts" in order to avoid employees from joining a union have been brought to light by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The leaked presentation, intended for corporate managers, reads like a handbook for dealing with unhappy workers looking to form a union.
Working conditions at Samsung inhumane
Not only does Samsung have a reputation for advanced technology, it also has a reputation for substandard working conditions. Samsung employs —whether directly or indirectly through contractors and subcontractors — an estimated 1,500,000 workers throughout the region. It has a non-union policy that impacts the entire Asian electronics industry because, as ITUC puts it, "Samsung Electronics intervenes actively to prevent the formation of unions at its suppliers."
According to China Labor Watch, employees at Samsung factories, some under-aged, suffer through 100 hours of forced overtime per month, unpaid work, standing for 11 to 12 hours, verbal and physical abuse, severe age and gender discrimination and lack of worker safety.
The precarious nature of the work in the electronic sector prevents workers from complaining about the abuse and standing up for their rights. These workers need support.
Sign the petition to end worker abuse
Sharan Burrows, ITUC President, says, "If you have a smartphone — an Android or iPhone — there's a good chance that parts in your phone are produced on factory floors controlled by Samsung and its affiliated companies. Now it's up to all of us to tell Samsung enough is enough."
"No one should be forced to work in the conditions that Samsung and its affiliiates impose on these workers," said Larry Brown, NUPGE President. "As a global labour movement, we must join together and confront the abuses. We must let these vulnerable workers know that we have their backs."
You can lend your voice to the campaign to end worker abuse at Samsung. Visit ITUC's petition and help stand up for workers' rights.
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NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 370,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE