A new report sheds some light on one of the largest factories for Apple products in Shanghai China. Run by Pegatron, the factory has previously been cited for excessive overtime, but has recently installed advanced systems in order to curb such practices. However, because base pay at the factory remains low, many workers are reportedly seeking to work more overtime hours.
From Bloomberg:
Some workers actually welcome the opportunity to boost their pay but that practice has subsided, said one Pegatron worker referred to Bloomberg by China Labor Watch, who would only disclose his surname Ma for fear of reprisal. "The maximum is 60, but the workers would prefer more hours because the wages are low," Ma said. "We can earn much more in overtime, so we always want more overtime."
In order to curb excessive overtime, Pegatron has implemented a system of ID checks, with employee ID badges linked to a database that tracks their hours. However, worker advocacy group China Labor Watch claims that it has collected hundreds of pay stubs that point to excessive overtime.
It's not surprising that employees at these factories would seek additional overtime pay. Their pay averages between 4,200 and 5,500 yuan per month, or around $650 and $850 after overtime has been accounted for. You can check out the full report over at Bloomberg.
