Starway Serbia Plant Accused of Disparate Working Hours Between Chinese and Local Staff

On August 31, a former employee reported that Xingyu Automotive Components Co., Ltd.'s overseas factory in Serbia treats its Chinese and local Serbian staff differently in work arrangements. According to Lin Zhe, the former employee, local Serbian workers typically follow a standard 9-to-5 schedule and leave work promptly at the end of their shift, whereas Chinese staff sent from China to provide support work an average of about 10 hours per day. When Serbian employees finish their daily shifts, if production targets remain unmet, the Chinese support staff must continue working overtime until the tasks are completed. Lin also stated that the Serbian factory has been operating at a loss for an extended period and relies on continuous financial support from its parent company in China, resulting in Chinese staff shouldering greater responsibility for ensuring production continuity and meeting operational commitments.