Malaysia: Major rubber glove exporters linked to forced labour allegations; Includes company comments
Summary
Date Reported: 22 Nov 2022
Location: Malaysia
Companies
McKesson - Buyer , Cypress Medical Products - Buyer , Supermax Corporation - EmployerOther
Not Reported ( Recruitment agencies ) - RecruiterAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Bangladesh , Manufacturing: General , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Recruitment Fees , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Retention of identity documents , Intimidation , Restricted mobility , Wage TheftResponse
Response sought: Yes, by The Diplomat
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Supermax said in a statement that “All of the Supermax Group’s manufacturing facilities operate strictly in accordance with Malaysian Labor Law.” It did not comment directly on working conditions in Sungai Buloh, but said about its facilities there that “the glove manufacturing plant at Lot 38 will be shutting down for upgrading works commencing around Q1 in 2020,” and that Lot 42 was “the smallest plant in our manufacturing group and has been shut now for some 2 years after a small fire.”
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 22 Nov 2019
Location: Malaysia
Companies
Central Medicare - EmployerOther
Not Reported ( Recruitment agencies ) - RecruiterAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Bangladesh , Manufacturing: General , Gender not reported ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Nepal , Manufacturing: General , Gender not reported )Issues
Wage Theft , Denial of leave , Recruitment Fees , Retention of identity documents , Debt Bondage , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , IntimidationResponse
Response sought: Yes, by The Diplomat
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Central Medicare did not reply to multiple requests for clarification.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 22 Nov 2019
Location: Malaysia
Companies
McKesson - Buyer , Hartalega NGC - Employer , O&M Halyard - Buyer , Medline Industries - Buyer , Innovative Healthcare - Buyer , Cypress Medical Products - Buyer , Henry Schein - Buyer , Owens & Minor - BuyerOther
Not Reported ( Recruitment agencies ) - RecruiterAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Manufacturing: General , Gender not reported )Issues
Retention of identity documents , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Recruitment FeesResponse
Response sought: Yes, by The Diplomat
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Hartalega replied that workers do 12-hour shifts “purely on a voluntary basis and this is clearly communicated to workers during the recruitment process” and “if a worker does not wish to perform overtime, the worker can notify the Company in advance. We can then make alternative arrangements to ensure manufacturing operations are not disrupted.”
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 22 Nov 2022
Location: Malaysia
Companies
YTY Industries - Employer , McKesson - Buyer , Cypress Medical Products - Buyer , Dynarex - Buyer , O&M Halyard - Buyer , Owens & Minor - Buyer , Medline Industries - BuyerOther
Not Reported ( Recruitment agencies ) - RecruiterAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Manufacturing: General , Men , Documented migrants )Issues
Recruitment Fees , Intimidation , Retention of identity documents , Debt Bondage , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Denial of leaveResponse
Response sought: Yes, by The Diplomat
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: YTY said “we absorb 100% of any recruitment fees in Malaysia, as well as all processing fees, transport and insurances costs, and other ancillary fees that may be required to bring foreign workers into Malaysia, and onto our premises.” However, all the interviewees said they had not been reimbursed for recruitment costs. YTY also said it was tightening recruitment procedures as it is “aware that certain local and foreign agents charge unreasonable recruitment fees to foreign workers.”
Source type: News outlet
"Clean Gloves, Dirty Practices: Debt Bondage in Malaysia's Rubber Glove Industry", 22 November 2019
On October 1... [the USA] announced an import ban on WRP’s gloves due to “evidence of multiple indicators of forced labor.” Previous media investigations of WRP found migrant workers subjected to passport confiscations, illegal withholding of pay, restricted freedom of movement, and more... Malaysia['s]... glove industry is the world’s biggest, supplying over half of the world’s annual demand of 300 billion rubber gloves...
At YTY Industries... [workers] said they have worked over two years with no free access to their passports. YTY Group published an extensive statement online, saying that it does “not hold the passports of any foreign workers other than for routine processing matters.” YTY said “we absorb 100% of any recruitment fees in Malaysia...” However, all the interviewees said they had not been reimbursed for recruitment costs. YTY also said it was tightening recruitment procedures...
Workers from Supermax and Hartalega NGC, two major glove exporters, mentioned fees up to $4,800 for agents and said it takes years to pay off money lenders’ high-rate loans...
Workers from Supermax facilities... said that passport retention for years was the norm until October, when Supermax started returning passports to workers. They work 12 hours per day, for up to 30 days without a rest day, and have to apply if they want more than one monthly off day, or else face wage deductions...
Supermax said in a statement that “All of the Supermax Group’s manufacturing facilities operate strictly in accordance with Malaysian Labor Law.”...
Hartalega said... it previously had a centralized facility for passport lockers where workers had “full and free access to their passports 24/7 without any restriction. In recent months... all workers keep their own passports at their personal lockable cabinets in their respective dorms.”...