factories

13 Stories

Ford to Make Its Most 'Dramatic' Investment Ever

Automaker to build assembly plant, 3 factories for EV batteries in South, with hopes of 10.8K jobs

(Newser) - Ford and a partner company say they plan to build three major electric-vehicle battery factories and an auto assembly plant by 2025—a dramatic investment in the future of EV technology that will create an estimated 10,800 jobs and shift the automaker's future manufacturing footprint toward the South....

Jobs Go Begging at Chinese Factories

Many migrant employees want something different or are just staying home

(Newser) - Like workers in the US, much of China's labor force is reconsidering its options, leaving factories across the country with openings. There are parallels to the situation in the US, with many workers shifting to higher-paying jobs, often in the service industry, and many migrants deciding to just stay...

Locked Factory Door Blamed in Bangladeshi Deaths

Officials say at least 52 are dead in fire

(Newser) - A fire engulfed a food and beverage factory outside Bangladesh's capital, killing at least 52 people, many of whom were trapped inside by an illegally locked door, fire officials said Friday. The blaze began Thursday night at the five-story Hashem Foods Ltd. factory in Rupganj, just outside Dhaka, sending...

Virus Clobbers Retail Sales, US Factories

Both industries see record drops

(Newser) - US retail sales tumbled by a record 16.4% from March to April as business shutdowns caused by the coronavirus kept shoppers away, per the AP . The Commerce Department’s report Friday on retail purchases showed a sector that has collapsed so quickly that sales over the past 12 months...

A Bite on the Butt: Tales of Harassment at Ford Plants

Supervisors, union reps among those accused by female workers: 'NYT'

(Newser) - From Hollywood to Capitol Hill, and now to the auto industry. An in-depth investigation from the New York Times finds sexual misconduct is rampant at Ford's factories, specifically at the Chicago Assembly Plant and Chicago Stamping Plant, which employ some 5,700 workers, roughly a third of whom are...

H&M: We'll Pay Living Wage to Bangladesh Workers

Clothing company announces new plan

(Newser) - H&M is doing something to combat the terrible conditions that so many garment workers in Bangladesh and Cambodia endure: The cheap clothing giant will make sure the workers making its products in those countries receive a living wage, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Swedish company (fun fact: Its...

One Dead in Gas Leak at Apple Supplier Factory

Four others injured at plant owned by Catcher Technology

(Newser) - Another tragedy at an Apple supplier : A worker was killed and four others hurt by a gas leak at a Chinese factory in Suzhou owned by Catcher Technology. Authorities say hydrogen sulfide gas leaked from a liquid-waste treatment workshop, the Wall Street Journal reports. Catcher Technology makes metal casings and...

This American Life Retracts Foxconn Story

Says piece on Apple's China factories had 'significant fabrications'

(Newser) - A compelling account of the abuses at Apple's China factories became This American Life's most popular podcast ever, with 888,000 downloads, but now the radio show is retracting the story due to "significant fabrications." The 39-minute piece by monologuist Mike Daisey was excerpted from Daisey'...

Apple Finds Child Labor Abuses at Foreign Factories

Company's own report details 11 cases overseas

(Newser) - Apple's own investigation of the factories in its supply chain found 11 cases of 15-year-olds on the job. The company didn't identify the locations, but most of its facilities are in China. Apple ordered a "complete analysis" and a review of employment records. The report also found that about...

GM to Shut Most Factories for 9 Weeks

(Newser) - General Motors plans to shut most of its US factories for 9 weeks this summer, the AP reports. The shutdown will include the normal 2-week stoppage in July to gear up for new models, two sources said, blaming the move on slumping sales and rising inventories. GM, which has received...

Beijing Launches Pollution Crackdown for Olympics

Officials scramble to clean the air for athletes

(Newser) - Beijing has launched tough new anti-pollution measures this week in a bid to clean the air for Olympic athletes in time for the games. Officials expect to force nearly half of the city's 3.3 million cars off the road, which will drive commuters onto already-crowded public transport, Reuters reports....

GM to Close 4 Truck/SUV Plants, Reassess Hummer

Public taste turns away from big cars

(Newser) - GM will close four of its North American truck and SUV factories, the company announced today, as the public interest in gas-guzzlers wanes. The Hummer brand is also under “strategic review,” with all options on the table, "from a complete revamp of the product lineup to a...

Popular Toy Recalled Over Toxic Beads

Aqua Dots, made in China, replicate date-rape drug

(Newser) - A popular arts-and-crafts toy made in China is being yanked from stores worldwide after it was found to include a chemical that replicates the effects of date-rape drugs, the Wall Street Journal reported today. At least three children were hospitalized recently in Australia after swallowing beads from the toy, sold...

13 Stories