Olympics: Beijing ends deal with 'child labour' firm

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Beijing, July 31: A Chinese stationery firm accused of using child labour has been stripped of its licence to make souvenirs for the 2008 Olympics, the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) said today.

A report released in June by London-based labour rights group Playfair Alliance said the Le Kit company had employed ''more than 20'' children younger than 16.

BOCOG ''attached great importance to the issue'', said a statement posted on the Games' official Web site today, and their investigation revealed that the company had used ''eight students for packaging work''.

Although the students were not packaging Olympic products, the Dongguan-based company had also failed to sign contracts with some of its employees, the statement said.

''BOCOG has decided to terminate Le Kit Stationery Co's right to manufacture and sell Olympic licensed products and revoked its licensing contract with the company,'' it read.

Three other companies in Guangdong province producing Olympic-related products and accused of labour rights abuse in the Playfair report were found to have ''had overtime issues, but no child labour issues''.

''BOCOG has decided to suspend approval of all Olympic product designing of the three licensees and requested they rectify their production and business operations immediately,'' it said.

The companies were Eagle Leather Products of Dongguan, and Yue Wing Cheong Light Products and Mainland Headwear Holdings, both based in Shenzhen.

''BOCOG will seriously deal with any licensees who have violated national labor laws and regulations,'' the statement concluded.

Reuters>