Milwaukee Tool sued for alleged use of forced labor in Chinese prison

Lina Portman7 days ago

1 4 minutes read

A lawsuit against Milwaukee Tool claims the company had gloves made in a Chinese prison factory using forced labor and brutal conditions that included torture and beatings.

Milwaukee Tool was sued for allegedly having work gloves made through forced labor in a Chinese prison factory under deplorable conditions that included beatings and torture.

The complaint filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee claims the Brookfield-based company knew, or should have known, that the gloves were made using forced labor, a violation of the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

The plaintiff is identified only by the pseudonym Xu Lun, who was convicted in July 2021 of “subversion of state power”, a charge commonly used by the Chinese government to target human rights activists and defenders. the man. His real name was not released in the complaint out of fear for his safety, according to the Washington, D.C., law firm Farra & Wang, which filed the lawsuit.

For five months in 2022, Xu Lun was subjected to forced labor at the prison factory that allegedly manufactured work gloves bearing the “Milwaukee Tool” logo, according to the complaint.

Xu Lun was responsible for sorting fabrics, cutting threads, gluing, ironing and controlling quality, the lawsuit states. Workdays could last up to 13 hours. Prisoners were only allowed a 10-minute break in the morning, 25 minutes for lunch, and 10 minutes in the afternoon. They were only allowed three days off per month.

“The factories were not air conditioned or heated and the prisoners were subjected to extreme weather conditions,” the complaint states. “The summer months were particularly harsh, with extreme heat and humidity and poor ventilation. Many prisoners developed eczema and other skin diseases in the hot, humid factories. »

The factories were also loaded with so much fabric dust that prisoners had to wash it off before being allowed to shower. Constant exposure to dust caused respiratory health problems for many prisoners, according to the complaint.

The premises were cramped, making it difficult for prisoners to work comfortably and safely. Some have developed health problems such as hemorrhoids and prostatitis from long periods of sitting without a break.

Workplace injuries were caused by the machines, including fingers punctured by the embroidery machine, the lawsuit claims.

Trial: workers threatened, punished for not having worked hard enough

Xu Lun said he regularly saw fellow inmates threatened and punished when they refused to work, did not work hard enough, or did not meet production quotas.

“Punishments included being forced to stand or squat for long periods of time, not being allowed to visit family, not being allowed to buy goods with one's money, and not being allowed to use the toilet. “, says the complaint.

“The most severe punishments included being sent to the maximum security section of the prison, placed in solitary confinement, forced to walk in a crouch, and waking up every hour with a phone call. The most severe punishments included beatings and electric shocks with electric batons,” according to the complaint. “The experience of being exploited and forced into grueling work was humiliating and dehumanizing,” she added.

The Milwaukee Tool products manufactured at the prison were the “Demolition” gloves and the “Winter Demolition” gloves, the “Performance” gloves and the “FreeFlex” gloves, according to the suit.

“When the gloves first came to market, Milwaukee Tool widely touted that, unlike other companies that might simply use an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Milwaukee Tool was different. Rather than relying on others for design and manufacturing, Milwaukee Tool differentiated its glove offerings by touting Milwaukee Tool’s ownership of the design and manufacturing processes,” the complaint alleges.

Milwaukee Tool declined to comment on the lawsuit.

“However, Milwaukee Tool takes allegations of forced labor by a supplier very seriously and does not condone such practices. We deeply sympathize with those affected by such practices and remain committed to ensuring ethical standards throughout our operations,” the company said in a statement to the Journal Sentinel.

“As we have stated previously, despite rigorous investigations, Milwaukee Tool has found no evidence of forced labor in the production of our gloves. Our commitment to transparency and accountability is underscored by multiple internal and independent third-party audits, none of which have found any issues. “This is an indication of such practices. Milwaukee Tool considers the complaint to be without merit and the allegations will be vigorously defended,” he added.

Congress held hearings on human rights in China

Last July, a congressional commission examining human rights issues in China turned its attention to the company's reported links to forced labor by examining “corporate complicity” in abuses linked to the Communist Party Chinese. At a hearing, the wife of a man held in a prison where gloves were allegedly made described working conditions and denounced what she called the company's “disregard for human rights.” Milwaukee Tool and called on Congress to act.

According to the company, these gloves could be counterfeit.

“As part of the investigation, Milwaukee Tool found several examples of unauthorized counterfeit gloves originating in China and bearing the Milwaukee brand, supporting the likelihood that the gloves in question may be examples of unauthorized counterfeit gloves,” it said in Thursday's statement.

Xu Lun worked for a non-governmental organization that advocated for the rights of vulnerable groups in China, including people with AIDS, hepatitis B and people with disabilities. The complaint does not specify the amount of damages sought, but the Human Trafficking Victims Protection Act allows victims of forced labor to bring civil action against companies that knowingly benefited from the practice.

Milwaukee Tool is owned by Techtronic Industries, a Hong Kong-based company also named in the complaint. The company has factories in the United States, China, Vietnam, Germany and the United Kingdom.

A lawsuit against Milwaukee Tool claims the company had gloves made in a Chinese prison factory using forced labor and brutal conditions that included torture and beatings.

Trial: workers threatened, punished for not having worked hard enough

Congress held hearings on human rights in China

Lina Portman

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