Chinese Plea For Help in Labor Camp

[LongBlade]

This doesn't sound good.

A note was apparently slipped into a Halloween decoration asking for help and complaining of the conditions in a labor camp.

"If you occasionally buy this product, please kindly resend this letter to the World Human Right Organization. Thousands people here who are under the persicution of the Chinese Communist Party Government will thank and remember you forever."

The graveyard kit, the letter read, was made in unit 8, department 2 of the Masanjia Labor Camp in Shenyang, China.

Chinese characters broke up choppy English sentences.

"People who work here have to work 15 hours a day without Saturday, Sunday break and any holidays. Otherwise, they will suffer torturement, beat and rude remark. Nearly no payment (10 yuan/1 month)."

Ten yuan is equivalent to $1.61.

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/happy-valley/index.ssf/2012/12/halloween_decorations_carry_ha.html

[Longdan]

At least they aren't welfare freeloaders.

[Greybriar]

Now we know why the stuff from China is so cheap.

[Longdan]

I hope they do not get help until christmas is over.
Ack!! Can't believe I typed that.  It is so un PC...
but really we get cheap stuff from China and they do
not want to tell us how they make it.

[Staggerwing]

Dude, not funny. The post edit feature is there for a reason...

[LongBlade]

Now we know why the stuff from China is so cheap.

I'm afraid it happens a lot. They're just really good at hiding it. Clearly vendor agreements aren't worth the paper they're printed on.

[Longdan]

When we buy cheap goods from third world countries via WalMart
we are knowingly subsidising labour practices which would be
unthinkable in the Western world.  As for my comment above:
please do not tell me you did not know.  Items like men's clothing
are cheaper in real terms than they have ever been and even
though we want to believe they are made by magic elves somewhere
they are not.

[LongBlade]

As for my comment above:
please do not tell me you did not know. 

Actually, I'm more familiar with these situations than you might think.

Wally World et al go to elaborate lengths to attempt to quash these practices. However, in many cases these agreements are signed with intermediaries who then subcontract to others. In most cases it is literally impossible to personally inspect each facility.

The best you can do is attempt to buy products not sourced in China. Even then there are sometimes attempts to obscure and cheat on the country of origin. When a nation disregards laws as flagrantly as China there is little that can be done except to refuse to trade with them.

[Longdan]

It ain't just China.

[LongBlade]

It ain't just China.

Agreed.