
Schoolchildren in China work overnight to produce Amazon Alexa devices - jg23
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/aug/08/schoolchildren-in-china-work-overnight-to-produce-amazon-alexa-devices
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inxdz
>Leaked documents show children as young as 16 recruited by Amazon supplier
Foxconn work gruelling and illegal hours

16 is a legal age to work in many places of Europe, including my very own
country. What exactly am I missing here?

Also isn't it a bit manipulative to call a 16 year old teenager a
"schoolchild"?

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Cenk
Are they in school?

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seanmcdirmid
They are in a trade school, the work was setup by the school (and was probably
“required”) as is common practice in China (whether that is a moral thing or
not).

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inxdz
Which is also legal in some places of Europe, it's called "practicing" or
whatever.

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seanmcdirmid
I think the system in Europe is more about practicing skilled trade than just
doing unskilled factory work. If this story was about kids apprenticing to be
plumbers, then I think there would be much less outrage.

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dragonelite
Depends on the course, same practical internship are pretty much of the level
of unskilled work. Still not okay without at least a decent pay if you ask me.

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seanmcdirmid
I don’t think 16 and a half kuai is very decent, but these kids are mostly
from rural areas so it might seem like a good deal to them.

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croh
The company said in a statement: “We have doubled the oversight and monitoring
of the internship program with each relevant partner school to ensure that,
under no circumstances, will interns [be] allowed to work overtime or nights."

My dear Chinese friends, does Chinese govt bother to punish FoxConn for this
or overtime is just norm in industry ?

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yfzhou
I’d say it’s very likely considering China has all but admitted that its
previous policy of favoring Taiwanese companies to push for economic
unification has backfired. I think it’s a matter of time before China finds an
excuse to kick every Taiwanese company out.

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Josh379
Sure, they don’t sleep yet they are able to assemble complex electrical
equipment. Perfect reasonable, no need to question. I’ve also always believed
it when told there are people who work three full time jobs. What amazing
people!

