Shein employees worked excessively overtime

A Swiss non-governmental organization reports on precarious working conditions at suppliers for the Chinese fast fashion discounter Shein. The employees worked excessively overtime. The report by the public interest group Public Eye mentions 75-hour weeks at six locations in Guangzhou. The head office of the online retailer is also located in the port city northwest of Hong Kong. The workers are exposed to "enormous pressure", reports the BBC, citing the organization. Public Eye employees reportedly visited 17 factories that supply Shein and parent company Zoetop. A total of ten workers at six locations were interviewed. At this point in time, all production facilities were working in a three-shift system and exclusively for Shein. Many workers only had one day off a month. According to the report, the workers were mostly migrants who were paid per item of clothing. It is said that this benefits the system. Shein agreed to examine the report. "We have a strict code of conduct for suppliers, which includes strict health and safety guidelines and complies with local laws. If a non-compliance is found, we will take immediate action," BBC quoted a company spokesman as saying. Excessive overtime in Chinese factories is not uncommon. But they are violating local labor laws, which prescribe an eight-hour work day and a 40-hour week. Public Eye launched the investigation into the cheap fashion giant, who works with thousands of suppliers, last year to learn more about the corporate structure of the secretive company.