Chinese prisoners: We were forced to make Milwaukee Tool gloves for cents each day

Wisconsin Watch reporter Zhen Wang found evidence that prisoners in China’s central Hunan Province were forced to make Milwaukee Tool-branded work gloves under grueling conditions, earning pennies each day. A supplier for Milwaukee Tool subcontracted work to the prison, two former prisoners said in separate interviews conducted in Mandarin. A self-identified salesperson of the supplier told Wang it manufactured the majority of Milwaukee Tool’s work gloves. And regulatory filings confirm that the company was contracted to manufacture “Performance Gloves” for a subsidiary of Milwaukee Tool’s parent company. Originally published on May 4th, 2023.