Samsung Accused of Using Child Labor via Supplier, Promises Investigation

From DailyTech: Apple, Inc. (AAPL) has been thoroughly scrutinized by everyone from semi-accurate monologists to writers for The New York Times for reported Chinese labor abuses. Interest piqued after a string of suicides at a primarily Apple manufacturing plant in Shenzhen highlighted poor working conditions among employees.

Apple's own yearly audits acknowledge such issues -- such as occasional child labor violations.

But it's hardly alone. Samsung Electronics Comp., Ltd. (KSC:005930), the world's top smartphone maker, is now being forced to answer similar tough questions. A report by the advocacy group China Labor Watch accused its supplier HEG Electronics of using child labor at a plant in Huizhou, China.

Samsung does perform regular audits of its Chinese suppliers, but the audits are subcontracted to local Chinese third-party firms, a practice some say opens the door for lies and corruption.

While not exactly a surprise visit, this could force HEG to at least avoid the most flagrant of labor abuses (or as Antoine Dodson would say, time to "hide your kids").

In a way Samsung has benefited from secrecy. The company does not publish the results of its internal labor audits, while Apple does. Thus much of the criticism leveled at Apple has been due to that company's willingness to share just how sordid the dark side of Chinese manufacturers are.

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