Malaysia charges Dyson supplier ATA with labour law violations By Reuters

By A. Ananthalakshmi

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia has charged Dyson provider ATA IMS with 4 violations of labour regulation on lodging for employees because it investigates complaints of pressured labour, authorities stated on Saturday.

The step comes after British house equipment maker Dyson stated final month it was severing relations with ATA, and ending its contract inside six months, after an unbiased audit of the corporate’s labour practices and accusations by a whistleblower.

“The complaints had been primarily on allegations of appalling working and dwelling circumstances and overseas employees being pressured to work extreme additional time hours,” Malaysia’s labour division informed Reuters in an electronic mail response.

“It’s too early to make any conclusion on the allegations.”

The division, which inspected the corporate in February, Could and July, added that the 4 fees had been for violations of minimal requirements for employee lodging.

The corporate didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the costs.

Reuters reported on Nov. 25 and Dec. 5 that ATA’s principally migrant workforce did additional time in extra of the month-to-month authorized restrict of 104 hours, and labored on Sundays.

ATA, which makes components for Dyson vacuum cleaners and air purifiers, has stated all additional time was voluntary, and that it paid double for work on Sundays and triple on public holidays.

The corporate has taken steps to make sure no recurrence, it added, saying it had begun a coverage of zero additional time on Sunday that led to the resignations of almost 300 employees within the first week of December.

Police are additionally investigating ATA over claims {that a} former employee was crushed by police after being taken to a police station the place he was questioned about sharing data on working circumstances with activists.

ATA has dismissed the accusations by the employee, Dhan Kumar Limbu, as unsubstantiated and “unlikely to have taken place”.