Toyota gets attacked for worker rights abuses

[Intrepidation]

The top is a tough place to be. Just ask Toyota, which is now facing charges of worker right abuses, including the use of sweat shops and human trafficking. As we've reported before, Japan even has a word for being overworked to death: karoshi. Toyota plants are not immune to this stress-related disease, as workers at its plants have indeed suffered death due to working too hard. These facts have caught the attention of The National Labor Committee, which has an entire report worked up that alleges Toyota over-works and under-pays its Japanese employees and has ties to various unsavory Dictators. It's also been well established that Toyota does not want its American workforce unionized.

The report is being directly targeted at Prius-driving celebrities who see Toyota as the shining green beacon in a world of pollution-spewing car companies. Whether or not this report has all its facts straight, if famous Toyota supporters in Hollywood react to these allegations, Toyota could indeed have a public relations disaster on its hands.

Source: Autoblog

[siegen]

But they'll be selling 1 million hybrids per year in a few years, right?

[ShadowDog]

But they'll be selling 1 million hybrids per year in a few years, right?

Clarify?

[Sal Collaziano]

Whatever, whatever, whatever. Toyota sees what GM is going through with the unions - so that's never going to happen. Maybe they'll just pay their workers a little better and take some of the weight off worker's shoulders.. But that's the most that's going to happen. Forget about a union for Toyota. Not going to happen. No matter what.

[siegen]

Clarify?

Toyota has announced their target of 1 million hybrids per year (worldwide) in the next few years. I think the target is 2013 or something, I don't remember exactly.

[Drew Dowdell]

Toyota's response, "Workers have rights?"

[A Horse With No Name]

As much as I just utterly hate unions, I trust corporations/management/the guy in the front glass office even less.

Chris

[CSpec]

This won't matter--square glasses types who hang out in the Apple store don't care that their beloved iPod came from a horrible factory in China.

[A Horse With No Name]

Oh, and when I took my required OSHA 10 hour safeto class, it was taught by an ex-GM employee who stressed how far out in front of the curve GM was in the 1960's and 1970's in terms of worker safety.

I think GM has a legitimate track record of taking better care of its employees than toyota and Co.

Chris

[FAPTurbo]

This won't matter--square glasses types who hang out in the Apple store don't care that their beloved iPod came from a horrible factory in China.

^

Plus, what about those 'designer bags' celebs covet? Aren't those made in conditions that'd be similar to sweatshops?

[Drew Dowdell]

whadda ya mean "similar to"

[A Horse With No Name]

Sweatshop is a sweatshop. I don't feel any better about my jeans knowing that some 12 year old girl in Malaysia got paid 25 cents an hour to sew them.

Chris

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

LOL...

So, Toyota treats it's employees like sh*t and the media line reads "TOYOTA gets ATTACKED for workers right abuses" as if Toyota is victim here.

Typical american stupidity. Just like everything else, this shall pass for Toyota. They will NEVER be subjected to the destruction that our society has brought forth onto the domestics.

One day the line will be "Toyota gets attacked for killing babies... But it's just because they're the number 1 automaker."

Yeah, it's not because their a bad corporation or anything.. It's just because they're 'on top' as the first paragraph in the article 'justifies'

And the article ends with 'the report might not have all of it's facts straight'... I'm so sick and tired of the free ride this company gets.

Edited June 20, 2008 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[enzl]

Oh, and when I took my required OSHA 10 hour safeto class, it was taught by an ex-GM employee who stressed how far out in front of the curve GM was in the 1960's and 1970's in terms of worker safety.

I think GM has a legitimate track record of taking better care of its employees than toyota and Co.

Chris

Ask the 100k+ workers canned/laid off in the last few years if the D3 have treated them better than Toyota?...Unionization has contributed more to worker safety than GM or any other manufacturer ever has.

The best treated workers are the ones that'll have jobs in 5 years...

The issue of human rights, workers conditions/treatment & manufacturing concerns is a global issue, with almost every multinational having some supplier, direct subsidiary or related entity geting entangled in 3rd world abuse stories.

The only reason this made headlines is because Toyota is involved, but its simply a natural part of the global economy nowadays.

I have to laugh that the knee jerk reaction here is that Toyota is more guilty than the next company. They all could care less until they get caught. Period.

Edited June 20, 2008 by enzl

[enzl]

LOL...

So, Toyota treats it's employees like sh*t and the media line reads "TOYOTA gets ATTACKED for workers right abuses" as if Toyota is victim here.

Typical american stupidity. Just like everything else, this shall pass for Toyota. They will NEVER be subjected to the destruction that our society has brought forth onto the domestics.

One day the line will be "Toyota gets attacked for killing babies... But it's just because they're the number 1 automaker."

Yeah, it's not because their a bad corporation or anything.. It's just because they're 'on top' as the first paragraph in the article 'justifies'

And the article ends with 'the report might not have all of it's facts straight'... I'm so sick and tired of the free ride this company gets.

If you shop at K-mart/Wallmart et al..., purchase D3 products (the Equinox's entire engine is made in China) or wear clothes made in this decade, you're contributing to the problem as well.

Simply put, this is a huge problem for all companies, Toyota is a target because of their status, as top dog, that's going to happen.