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13 Aug 2019

China: Amazon accused of child labour after schoolchildren found working in supply chain; Incl. co. comments

In August 2019, leaked documents to China Labor Watch revealed that more than 1,000 schoolchildren aged 16-18 were employed by Foxconn, Amazon's supplier, to meet targets during peak production periods.

According to the documents, children were drafted in from schools and colleges, and classified as 'interns', to fulfil a shortage in labour force, as the factory struggled to recruit permanent staff. The documents also highlighted the cheaper cost of hiring children.

The children were reported to be working night-shifts and overtime, while teenagers who spoke to researchers said the factory work had no relevance to their courses, and that they were pressed into working overtime. 

Amazon has since stated it is urgently investigating the allegations and addressing the situation with Foxconn. Comments from Amazon and Foxconn can be found in the articles below.