"Multilingual signs in most airports in the EU opt for English, but in Hungary, there is also Chinese, making it easy for migrant workers flying in to staff China's first electric car plant in Europe due to open in 2027. The third language was introduced in 2019 as the recently ousted leader Viktor Orban embarked on a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, positioning himself as its most reliable friend in Europe. It won him a presidential visit from Xi Jinping in 2024 and billions of euros of investment from the Chinese car industry."
"But the race to get Europe's first Chinese electric vehicle (EV) factory, for the carmaker BYD, up and running in the city of Szeged, south of Budapest, is now mired in allegations of workers' rights abuse. A New York rights organisation, China Labor Watch (CLW), interviewed more than 50 migrant workers who point to a series of potential violations of EU labour laws, including incidences of seven-day working weeks, recruitment-related debt, excessive overtime and visa breaches among Chinese workers hired through subcontractors."
"Some employees choose to work seven days a week, but it's not obligatory. Only those who come from China choose to, says a Chinese man who asked to remain anonymous as he lights a cigarette in a car park close to BYD's Szeged construction site. Asked what conditions are like inside the site, a colleague replies: Nothing out of the ordinary, when you're a migrant worker. His supervisors are very strict and living conditions are quite harsh, he says."
"The European Commission said it was aware of the allegations and it had been told there was a case pending before the Hungarian labour inspectorate related to the claims. Since the report, and a fatal"
Multilingual airport signage in the EU often uses English, while Hungary also includes Chinese, reflecting growing Chinese investment and migration tied to BYD’s planned electric vehicle plant in Szeged. Hungary’s strategic partnership with China under Viktor Orban led to high-level visits and major investment from China’s car industry. The BYD factory project is now delayed by allegations raised by China Labor Watch after interviews with more than 50 migrant workers. Claims include seven-day working weeks, recruitment-related debt, excessive overtime, and visa breaches for Chinese workers hired through subcontractors. Workers describe strict supervision and harsh living conditions, while some report choosing to work seven days. The European Commission says it is aware of the allegations and has been informed of a pending case before Hungary’s labor inspectorate.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]