Disney factory faces probe into sweatshop suicide claims

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

Disney's best-selling Cars toys are being made in a factory in China that uses child labour and forces staff to do three times the amount of overtime allowed by law, according to an investigation.

One worker reportedly killed herself after being repeatedly shouted at by bosses. Others cited worries over poisonous chemicals. Disney has now launched its own investigation.

It is claimed some of the 6,000 employees have to work an extra 120 hours every month to meet demand from western shops for the latest toys.

The factory, called Sturdy Products, makes toys for the giant Mattel company, which last month announced quarterly profits of £48m on the back of strong sales of Barbie dolls and Cars 2 toys. Sturdy Products, in the city of Shenzhen, also makes toys for US superstore chain Walmart. Among the brands produced are the Thomas the Tank Engine range, Matchbox cars, Cars, Toy Story, Barbie and Fisher Price products, Scrabble and the Hot Wheels sets.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2011/aug/27/disney-factory-sweatshop-suicide-claims

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Parents, maybe this can be a teachable moment for your kids. When they know about this, they'll realize that their pleasure comes at a cost to less fortunate others.

Interesting facts: , father of Walt Disney, was a socialist who supported Eugene Debs. However, during the House Un-American Committee hearings of 1947, Walt Disney testified that the 1941 Disney studios animators strike had possible ties to Communism: "I definitely feel it was a Communist group trying to take over my artists and they did take them over."

Oh, and many Chinese-American parents have bought Disney products imported from cheap labor over the years and may not realize what they're contributing to. I know this as my parents are Chinese immigrants, and I grew up in a community with many Asian immigrant families.

[Omaha Steve]

1. TOYS MADE IN AMERICA

http://www.toysmadeinamerica.com/

Need I say more? K&R!

[DollyM]

2. AMEN!

www.tinastots-dolls.com
Actually, my dolls are more for adult collectors but I do make them for children as well. They are just very nice dolls as opposed to the cheap, fall apart crap you will get from China.

[femrap]

3. I have yet to see any

Disney product NOT made in China. I won't buy the crap. Workers of the World Unite!

[McCamy Taylor]

4. I smell a Disney toy ban, just in time for Christmas.

[patrick t. cakes]

5. Time for Reverend Billy

http://www.revbilly.com/

[defendandprotect]

6. kr

[Javaman]

7. Disney was a prick. He testified to prevent the Disney lot from becoming union.

To this day, it's still not a union lot.

fuck disney.

[No Elephants]

8. Thanks, Alp.

McCarthy and a few others helped smear the left as those who undermine America--and Eisenhower, head of his Party, let him. Meanwhile, not much earlier, fallen patriotsm of the left had been laid were lying under crosses and stars of David all over Europe and in Arlington.

Pete Seeger, who had enlisted to fight in WW II, was among the many whose earning capacity was impacted by those smears.

Rather than protect decent Americans against that POS, Eisenhower simply expanded the doctrine of Executive Privilege exponentially. By so doing, he protected himself and those arouond him, while leaving all other victims of McCarthy's insanity (and J. Edgar Hoover's) twist in the wind.

That fact, Eisenhower's racism (as documented by none other than Chief Justice Earl Warren) and a few other facts always leave me shaking my head while some Democrats wax nostalgic about people like Eisenhower.


BTW, McCarthy's owm military career--or rather his lies about his military career, were disgraceful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_McCarthy#Military_service