THE DOLL'S HOUSE - SEEN FROM THE OTHER SIDE
(Free Labour World n. 12 - December 1996)
As Christmas approaches, millions of parents trawl the shelves of the toy departments in search of the latest novelty for their children. Behind the scenes of this happy picture however lies a very different situation. Most of the toys sold in Europe and the United States are made in nightmare conditions in South East Asia. Stifling workshops, polluted air, dangerous machines and poverty wages are the daily reality for hundreds of thousands of young workers (mainly women) employed in the toy factories. I low did it happen?
The world toy market is dominated by a handful of multinationals (Mattel, Hasbro, Bandai, Nintendo, Sega and Toys R Us). During the '80s they transferred production from the United States to Japan, then to the newly industrialised countries (such as South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan) where labour costs were minimal. When wages began to rise in these countries too, they moved on to Thailand Indonesia, the Philippines and above all China, which had in the meantime opened up its borders to international capital. These countries had made it a point of honour to welcome foreign investors under the "beste conditions possible: virtually non-existent safety standards, the suppression of any attempts at trade unionism, extremely low minimum wage, etc. The result is that a country such as Thailand can boast of an increase in toy exports from 2 to 230 million dollars between 1981 and 1993 (...) but their lax approach to safety caused one of the most deadly factory fires in history (188 people died in the Kader fire).
Sub-contracting
Not content with having transferred production, the toy multinationals have also turned to sub-contracting. This means they can avoid paying workers in quieter periods, while being able to meet demand for a successful new toy before putting in big orders. This system largely determines working conditions in the sub-contracting factories, which only take on staff for very short periods. Thai workers therefore rarely get contracts of more than four months, although these can be renewed for several years. There are many advantages in this system for the employer: no seniority bonuses, pressure on workers who contemplate joining a union, a reduction in the wage bill in the low season, etc.
Child workers
Although the number of child workers is far from negligible, staff in the toy factories are mostly young women aged between 17 and 25. They are thought to be the most skillful with their hands, and are easier to control than men. They only work for two or three years before being dismissed, because the enterprise does not want to have to play for their maternity leave once they start having children. The Zhili factory in the Schezen economic zone employs 95% women. Six months after the Kader tragedy, it was the scene of another fire which killed 87 workers. When the fire broke out, only one exit was not locked, the windows were covered in bars and there were no fire alarms or extinguishers.
In addition to accidents caused by outdated machinery, the very nature of the work in toy factories can result in serious health problems Plastic toys dominate the market. Although it is smooth and easy to colour, plastic also generates a lot of dust when it is being made. The factory managers usually neglect to supply their workers with gas masks, however. Polyethylene, polystyrene and other toxic products are directly inhaled by the worhers, together with fumes from glue and paint, causing ailments ranging from headaches to fatal poisoning. In 1992 three young Chinese women employed in toy factories died a few days after being admitted to hospi.tal An inquiry found that their death was caused by poisoning from the ethane present in many chemical compositions. The factories where they worked did not feel it necessary to install ventilators to extract the toxic gases.
The physical vulnerability of workers in the toy factories is accentuated by the many hours of overtime imposed on them. An employee in a Chinese factory who wanted to attend an evening class had to give up the course. "We work for nine hours in the day, and another five when night has fallen. I can never study".
In China, private and foreign enterprises pay no attention to labour legislation. The working day is between 11 and 12 hours... and there is no guarantee of pay at the end of it. A survey by the official union, the All Chilla Federation of Trade Unions, reveals that 20% of workers in toy factories receive no compensation for overtime. Added to which the hourly rate of pay is well helow the legal minimum.
What can workers do to stand up for their rights? Individual protests will get them the sack, while collective strike can cost them dearly young women lose their feeble wages and find themseleves with nowhere to live (they are often lodged in the dismal dormitories provided by the employer).
Many come from distant provinces, and have no knowledge of their rights.
The peasants who come to the city to find work are exploited to the full: the Chinese government does not even allow them fo register in the commune where they work and they are therefore not eligible for social security should they need it.
Yet another example of how the buyers of toys and their producers are living in two different worlds.
(by Samuel Grumiau)
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