US customs starts seizing Top Glove shipments

Despite assertions by the management of Malaysian glove maker Top Glove to have sorted out issues over its treatment of labourers, the US Customs and Border Protection has seized the first shipment to the country amid a full import ban.

Around 3.97 million disposable gloves estimated to be worth $518,000 were impounded as the ban is still in force, according to Reuters.

The US customs on March 29 issued a forced labour finding based on evidence of multiple forced labour indicators in the world’s largest medical glove maker’s production process.

It had initially banned products from two of Top Glove’s subsidiaries last July, but extended the ban to all of the manufacturer’s products made in Malaysia in March.

The indicators included debt bondage, excessive overtime, abusive working and living conditions and retention of identity documents, the agency said and then ordered personnel at all US ports of entry to begin seizing disposable gloves produced in Malaysia by Top Glove.

Top Glove says shortcomings were resolved

Top Glove said in April its glove production has been affected because of the US ban and announced last week it had resolved all indicators of forced labour in its operations, citing a report by a UK-based ethical trade consultancy Impactt Limited, which it hired.

Further, in a internal letter to employees and shareholders also last months, executive chairman Lim Wee Chai acknowledged the company’s shortcomings regarding employee welfare and personally promised to review and correct its labour practices.



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Despite assertions by the management of Malaysian glove maker Top Glove to have sorted out issues over its treatment of labourers, the US Customs and Border Protection has seized the first shipment to the country amid a full import ban. Around 3.97 million disposable gloves estimated to be worth $518,000 were impounded as the ban is still in force, according to Reuters. The US customs on March 29 issued a forced labour finding based on evidence of multiple forced labour indicators in the world’s largest medical glove maker’s production process. It had initially banned products from two of Top Glove’s...

Despite assertions by the management of Malaysian glove maker Top Glove to have sorted out issues over its treatment of labourers, the US Customs and Border Protection has seized the first shipment to the country amid a full import ban.

Around 3.97 million disposable gloves estimated to be worth $518,000 were impounded as the ban is still in force, according to Reuters.

The US customs on March 29 issued a forced labour finding based on evidence of multiple forced labour indicators in the world’s largest medical glove maker’s production process.

It had initially banned products from two of Top Glove’s subsidiaries last July, but extended the ban to all of the manufacturer’s products made in Malaysia in March.

The indicators included debt bondage, excessive overtime, abusive working and living conditions and retention of identity documents, the agency said and then ordered personnel at all US ports of entry to begin seizing disposable gloves produced in Malaysia by Top Glove.

Top Glove says shortcomings were resolved

Top Glove said in April its glove production has been affected because of the US ban and announced last week it had resolved all indicators of forced labour in its operations, citing a report by a UK-based ethical trade consultancy Impactt Limited, which it hired.

Further, in a internal letter to employees and shareholders also last months, executive chairman Lim Wee Chai acknowledged the company’s shortcomings regarding employee welfare and personally promised to review and correct its labour practices.



Support ASEAN news

Investvine has been a consistent voice in ASEAN news for more than a decade. From breaking news to exclusive interviews with key ASEAN leaders, we have brought you factual and engaging reports – the stories that matter, free of charge.

Like many news organisations, we are striving to survive in an age of reduced advertising and biased journalism. Our mission is to rise above today’s challenges and chart tomorrow’s world with clear, dependable reporting.

Support us now with a donation of your choosing. Your contribution will help us shine a light on important ASEAN stories, reach more people and lift the manifold voices of this dynamic, influential region.

 

 

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