The report, published by the non-profit group China Labor Watch (CLW), alleges that workers at the factory in Ganzhou, southeastern China, are paid as little as 1,400 yuan ($212) per month, well below the average wage for the area. In addition, workers are subject to grueling working conditions, including up to 18-hour shifts, with only one day off per week.
According to the report, workers are not allowed to use the bathroom during work hours, and are forced to wear ill-fitting safety equipment which causes cuts and bruises. The factory also reportedly does not provide necessary safety training to workers, putting them at risk of injury.
The report alleges that the factory's management is responsible for these abuses, with supervisors frequently using verbal abuse and physical violence against workers. The factory also reportedly employs a large number of temporary workers, who are not afforded the same benefits as full-time employees, and are often subject to even more abusive treatment.
The factory in question is owned by the Fuzhou Bontai Diamond Tools Co., Ltd, which specializes in the development and manufacture of diamond tools. The report alleges that the factory's low wages and poor working conditions are driven by the pressure to keep costs down in order to fulfill orders for Ivanka Trump's brand.
This is not the first time that the Ivanka Trump brand has come under fire for its labor practices in China. Last year, a similar report from CLW alleged that workers at a factory producing Ivanka Trump shoes were paid just $1 per hour, and were subject to similar conditions of abuse and exploitation.
The Trump administration has been accused of hypocrisy for waging a trade war with China while at the same time doing business with companies like Fuzhou Bontai. The president has also been criticized for failing to take action to improve working conditions in China, despite campaigning on a platform of promoting American jobs and protecting workers.
The U.S. government has the power to impose sanctions on Chinese companies that violate labor laws, but so far, no action has been taken against Fuzhou Bontai or any other companies implicated in labor abuses.
The latest report underscores the urgent need for reform in China's labor practices, as well as the need for greater transparency and accountability in supply chains. Consumers have the power to effect change by boycotting brands that fail to uphold basic standards of worker safety and dignity, and by supporting companies that prioritize ethical labor practices.
The Ivanka Trump brand has already suffered significant damage to its reputation due to its association with labor abuses in China. It remains to be seen whether the brand will take concrete action to address these concerns, and whether consumers will continue to support the brand in the face of these allegations.