Home » UK Employment news • World Business & Employment News » Shein workers paid 3 pence per garment for 18 hour days
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A new undercover investigation into factories that supply Shein has revealed.
Factory workers work up to 18 hours per day, with no weekends and only one day off per month.
The investigation focused on the factories that supply clothing to the world's largest retailer.
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It also revealed the appalling working conditions and wages of Shein employees.
Shein employees are frequently required to work 18 hour days while earning 3 pence per garment produced.
According to the investigation, workers are also required to work weekends and are only given one day off per month.
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Employees are fined two-thirds of their daily wage if they make a single mistake while manufacturing clothing.
According to Shein, who has denied the conditions, the work requirements violate the company's supplier policy.
Channel 4 footage shows a woman going by the alias Mei being secretly filmed inside two factories where she works, producing items that can be purchased for as little as £1.49.
Even though they don't have time outside of work, women in one factory wash their hair during their lunch breaks.
Employees in the first factory featured on the show are paid 4,000 yuan (£500) per month to produce a minimum of 500 garments per day.
Many people work late into the night to earn 0.14 yuan (2pence) per item in order to make a living.
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One of the workers exposed how they are not entitled to any leave or weekends.
Shein uses an on-demand business model, which means that clothing is released in small batches and is only mass-produced if it becomes a hit.
With the new valuation, the company surpassed the combined value of the world's two largest retailers, Zara owner Inditex and H&M, which have valuations of £52 billion and £15 billion, respectively.
Shein, which was founded in 2008, rose to prominence by selling low-cost clothing and lifestyle items, with over 2,000 new styles added daily.
Source: Retail Gazette
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