Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Tool sued for alleged use of forced labor in Chinese prison factory
Lawsuit against Milwaukee Tool says the company had gloves made in a Chinese prison factory using forced labor, under brutal conditions which included torture and beatings.
Milwaukee Tool has been sued for allegedly having work gloves made by forced labor in a Chinese prison factory under deplorable conditions which included beatings and torture.
The lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee claims the Brookfield-based company knew, or should have known, the gloves were made with forced labor, a violation of the U.S. Trafficking Victim Protection Act.
The plaintiff is only identified under the pseudonym Xu Lun, who in July 2021 was convicted of “subversion of state power,” a charge commonly used by the Chinese government to target activists and human rights campaigners. His real name was withheld from the lawsuit out of fears for his safety, according to the law firm Farra & Wang, of Washington, D.C., which brought the action.
For five months in 2022, Xu Lun was subject to forced labor in the prison factory which allegedly made work gloves bearing the “Milwaukee Tool” logo, according to the suit.
Xu Lun was assigned to sorting fabric, thread cutting, gluing, ironing and quality control, the suit noted. The workdays were up to 13 hours. Prisoners were only allowed a 10-minute break in the morning, a 25-minute break for lunch, and a 10-minute break in the afternoon. They were only permitted up to three days off per month.
“The factories had no air conditioning or heating, and the prisoners were subjected to severe weather conditions,” the suit claims. “The summer months were particularly brutal, with extreme heat and humidity, and poor ventilation. Many prisoners developed eczema and other skin ailments in the hot and humid factories.”
The factories were also laden with fabric dust so severe that prisoners were required to wash it off before they were allowed to take showers. The constant exposure to dust caused respiratory health issues for many of the prisoners, according to the suit.
The facilities were cramped, making it difficult for the prisoners to work comfortably or safely. Some developed health issues such hemorrhoids and prostatitis from long periods of sitting without breaks.
There were workplace injuries caused by the machinery, including fingers punctured by the embroidering machinery, the lawsuit claims.
Lawsuit: workers threatened, punished for not working hard enough
Xu Lun alleged he regularly witnessed fellow inmates being threatened and punished when they refused to work, didn’t work hard enough, or did not meet production quotas.
“Punishment included being forced to stand or squat for long periods of time, being banned from visitation with family, being banned from buying goods with their money, and being forbidden to use the bathroom,” the suit notes.
“More severe punishment included being sent to the high-security section of the prison, being placed in solitary confinement, being forced to walk while squatting, and being woken up every hour with a roll call. The most severe punishment included beatings and electric shocks with electric rods,” according to the suit. “The experience of being exploited and forced into grueling work was humiliating and dehumanizing,” it said.
The Milwaukee Tool products made in the prison were the “Demolition” gloves and “Winter Demolition” gloves, the “Performance” and “FreeFlex” gloves, according to the suit.
“When the gloves came on the market, Milwaukee Tool heavily touted the fact that, unlike other companies that might just use an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Milwaukee Tool was different. Rather than rely on others for design and manufacturing, Milwaukee Tool differentiated its glove offerings by touting Milwaukee Tool’s ownership of the design and manufacturing processes,” the suit claims.
Milwaukee Tool could not immediately be reached for a response to the allegations. But the company has publicly stated it has no tolerance for forced labor.
Congress held hearings about human rights in China
Last July, a congressional commission examining human rights issues in China turned its attention to the company’s reported connections to forced labor as it examined “corporate complicity” in abuses linked to the Chinese Communist Party. In a hearing, the wife of a man in a prison where the gloves reportedly were made, described the working conditions and railed against what she called Milwaukee Tool’s “disregard for human rights” and called on Congress to act.
Xu Lun worked for a non-governmental organization that advocated for the rights of vulnerable groups in China including persons with AIDs, hepatitis B, and people with disabilities. The suit doesn’t specify damages sought, but the Trafficking Victim Protection Act allows victims of forced labor to file a civil action against companies that knowingly benefited from the practice.
Milwaukee Tool is owned by Hong Kong-based Techtronic Industries, which is also named in the suit.
Century-old Milwaukee Tool has been one of Wisconsin’s fastest-growing employers, with many of the new positions in technical roles in Menomonee Falls, Brookfield, Milwaukee, Mukwonago, Sun Prairie and West Bend.
The company has spent hundreds of millions of dollars expanding its U.S. operations in recent years. It has manufacturing plants in the United States, China, Mexico, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
Previously known as Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., the company traces its history back to the 1920s when Henry Ford was looking for a compact hand drill.
MILWAUKEE – For decades, the standard response to crime in America followed a predictable script: police make an arrest, the court hands down a sentence and a jail door closes.
That revolving door rarely solves the root problem for people battling substance use or mental health crises. That’s where treatment courts come in.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
What is treatment court?
By the numbers:
Instead of handing down prison time, treatment courts’ specialized programs use legal accountability to push people into intensive, supervised recovery. Data shows it’s working.
According to the National Institute of Justice, treatment courts slash re-arrest rates by up to 58% compared to traditional court sentences. It isn’t just a temporary fix, either – research shows lower crime rates stick around for years after a treatment court participant graduates.
Milwaukee County Courthouse
So, how does the program get people to actually stick with it? It comes down to high stakes and strict supervision.
Participants face regular drug testing, mandatory check-ins with a judge and a requirement to secure housing or employment before they can graduate. People are six times more likely to stay in treatment long enough to actually get clean because of that pressure.
Milwaukee County graduates
Local perspective:
Milwaukee County hosted its annual treatment court graduation ceremony on Friday, honoring the people who successfully completed the programs. They were commended for their commitment to recovery and stability.
“Today, we gather to honor the remarkable achievements of the individuals who have shown an incredible strength, resilience and determination on their journey towards recovery and a brighter future,” said Milwaukee County Chief Judge Carl Ashley. “A future that positively impacts their families, and our community.”
The program is designed to help Milwaukee County residents rebuild their lives and reconnect with their families.
The Source: Information in this story is from Milwaukee County and the National Institute of Justice.
July 3 drone show at McKinley Beach
Watch the first-ever July 3 drone show at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee County will again opt for drones over fireworks for its Independence Day festivities this summer.
The county had its first-ever Fourth of July drone show in 2025, with officials saying at the time that drones would be better for the environment, safer and less costly than fireworks.
The show costs about $150,000 less than fireworks, Milwaukee County officials told the Journal Sentinel this week.
“Milwaukee County is at its best when we come together to create memorable, inclusive experiences for everyone,” County Executive David Crowley said in an April news release. “This drone show is another example of how we’re investing in our parks, our neighborhoods and our shared sense of community pride.”
How did residents react to last year’s drone show?
Milwaukee County Parks Executive Director Guy Smith said in a news release last year the show is “an exciting and environmentally conscious way to celebrate our community.”
“Unlike traditional fireworks, drone shows reduce noise and air pollution while still delivering an unforgettable experience,” Smith said. “It’s about making memories and ensuring everyone feels welcome in these shared spaces.”
But the Journal Sentinel polled readers after last year’s show and a majority responded that they would prefer the county bring back fireworks.
This year’s show will debut pyrotechnic drone technology, adding spark effect for an “even more dynamic and visually stunning performance,” the news release says.
How long is the Milwaukee drone show?
The show is 45 minutes long and features 900 drones, county officials said. It is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. July 3 along the lakefront at McKinley Beach.
Milwaukee police audit shows Flock camera uses
The Milwaukee Police Department released a sample Flock camera audit showing outlier uses tied to serious crimes as scrutiny continues over officer misuse and community privacy concerns.
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Police Department is giving the public a closer look at how officers use license plate reader cameras, part of an effort to be more transparent about how the technology affects community safety.
What we know:
For the first time, FOX6 got a look at a sample of audit results from the MPD involving the license plate reader system, also known as Flock.
The transparency effort comes after former officer Josue Ayala was charged with using the license plate readers to track someone he was dating and that person’s ex. Earlier this month, the department said a second officer was under investigation for possible misuse of the Flock camera system.
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On Thursday, May 28, FOX6 obtained MPD’s Flock audit report from April. It is something the department does every month.
In the report, MPD shared 24 “outlier uses” of the system. Those are possible red flags. The list is not all of them, but it gives a glimpse into how MPD uses the Flock system and how the department checks for misuse.
Of the 24 outlier uses, some plate numbers were associated with a wanted homicide suspect, a felony narcotics trafficking suspect and a suspect vehicle used in the abduction of a 5-year-old. According to the audit, that vehicle was located, the child was returned safely and a suspect was arrested.
The audit also listed a homicide investigation in which detectives developed plate numbers for both a suspect and victim, as well as a plate connected to a person wanted for second-degree sexual assault who was later arrested.
What they’re saying:
“Those audit logs are what was used to hold the officer accountable,” said Paris Lewbel, Flock Safety spokesperson.
Lewbel said Flock Safety is partnered with 220 law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin.
“We think it is important that communities are talking about their technology and how they use it,” Lewbel said.
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The company does not release how many cameras there are, but Lewbel said there have been fewer than 15 misuse cases across the country among the 140,000 users on the platform.
“Within the FLOCK system from day one, we built an immutable audit log in the system that allows law enforcement command staff and internal affairs in these cases to be able to see exactly what is being searched in the law enforcement system and FLOCK system specifically,” Lewbel said.
Dig deeper:
In Milwaukee, license plate readers have faced pushback from people who fear the data could be misused. Critics have called the system an invasion of privacy, saying it tracks innocent people as the debate over how the cameras are used continues.
FOX6 asked the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday whether the second officer under investigation had been charged. The office replied, “not at this time.”
What you can do:
The full list of outliers from the audit is available on the FOX Local app.
The Source: FOX6 obtained the Milwaukee Police Department’s Flock audit report and utilized prior coverage.
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