Activists and officials report that working conditions in China are still among the worst in the world, despite overwhelming criticism for nearly a decade. Charges of child labor, unsafe working conditions, withheld wages and benefits, and other abuses have all been levied in recent weeks against the manufacturing giant, already reeling from last year's product-safety recalls. Although Chinese officials have tried to step up factory inspections to ensure safety and fair practices, some workers have charged employers with simply giving them the day off so that inspectors don't see the physical effects their work environment.
See "Despite a decade of criticism, worker abuse persists in China", David Barboza, International Herald Tribune, January 6, 2008