Gucci workers in CHINA 'tortured' during shifts; 14hrs standing, beg for bathroom and food breaks

Gucci workers 'tortured' during shifts

Employees of luxury goods manufacturer Gucci were subject to "torture", being made to stand for 14 hours a day, pay for goods stolen by customers and being forced to ask for toilet breaks.

By Jonathan Russell

6:01PM BST 14 Oct 201

Allegations of the demeaning treatment at a Gucci outlet in Shenzhen have led to two managers being replaced.

In an open letter, workers at the Gucci outlet said the cruel behaviour extended to pregnant employees not being allowed food or water during their shifts.

"It was a kind of torture for us to stand for more than 14 hours a day," the letter detailed. "No short rest, water or food was allowed even for a pregnant employee."

The abuse was so severe it was claimed some workers suffered miscarriages as a result.

Gucci, owned by giant French group Pinault-Printemps-Redoute, said it had engaged external experts to conduct a review of what had happened. The Chinese city of Shenzhen is also understood to be investigating what had occurred.

The allegations against Gucci included staff having overtime pay withheld. The five signatories of the letter, all of whom have left the company, claimed they were owed thousands of dollars in unpaid wages. They said their managers, both of whom have left the company, refused to pay overtime despite keeping them in the store until 2am some nights to undertake stock controls.

When items were stolen from the store the staff had to pay out for their replacements despite the thefts being covered by insurance, the letter claimed.

A spokesman for Gucci said: "Gucci has proactively engaged external consultants to conduct a comprehensive review to support ongoing actions that can enhance our organisational structure, the welfare and training of our people, talent recruitment and retention and other business practices in China."

The allegations against Gucci come against a backdrop of workplace abuse and poor working conditions. Foxconn, the technology group that makes components for Apple's iPhone, suffered a string of suicides among workers thought to be related to working conditions.