Why are workers forced to work such long hours?
Our policy is that suppliers should limit overtime to levels permitted by local law, should pay overtime at premium rates, in line with local law, and overtime should be voluntary. Most developing countries have quite good laws on these matters and problems tend to arise because of ignorance about the law and inadequate enforcement. In practice, customer demand tends to be seasonal and at peak periods suppliers tend to apply pressure to workers to work extra overtime. Also, where migrant workers are employed, usually living away from their own communities but near the factories, they tend to be keen to work extra overtime to be able to save more money in a shorter time and return sooner to their home regions.
