The mobile phone industry is commonly viewed as a clean and problem-free industry, but the latest report from makeITfair debunks all above, to tell a different tale all together.

According to the study commissioned by lobbying group makeITfair, young electronics workers reportedly handle chemicals without protective gear, as they are often put to work for inhumane overtime hours to cover basic needs and are punished if they make mistakes.

Furthermore, protests in the export processing zones in Asia, where the factories are located are often brutally suppressed.

The study which studied the labour conditions at six factories that produce components for Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, LG, Sony Ericsson and Apple’s iPhone in China and the Philippines, revealed that working conditions there violate national laws, conventions of the International Labour Organization as well as the mobile phone companies’ own codes of conduct on issues such as working hours and use of hazardous chemicals.

The makeIT report claims that workers often work 10 to 12 hours per day, six to seven days per week, and minimum wages have become standard as basic wages for full time work.

In both China and the Philippines, electronics workers are muffled through anti-union tactics used by both the employers and the state.

“Mobile phone companies can contribute to change through their codes of conducts, random controls and auditing. But more far-reaching and permanent changes will not come about until the employees are allowed to organize and openly express their opinions”, said Annika Torstensson, project leader at Fair Trade Center.