Sweatshops
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Description of the problem-
People around the world are working in hard conditions. Most do not make enough money to live on. Some work 14 hour days and seven days a week. Some may get lucky and have 14 cents an hour wage. Some are even under age. Most of the time this happens-"To keep labor costs low, apparel shop owners usually pay workers a "piece rate." That means workers don't get paid by the hour. Rather, their wage is based on the number of items—shirts, shoes, socks—they complete in a shift. If workers hope to earn a decent income, they have to work hard, and they have to work long. Basically, they have to sweat." http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/sweatshops/sweatshopsfaq.html
Causes-
People want cheep things. To get cheep things you need to have cheep labor.
Pair of pants-
Made in the USA Made in Nicaragua
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Retail price $17.99 Retail price $17.99
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Average U.S.$8.31/hour highest wage in Nicaragua- 43 cent/hour
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Sewing time--15 minutes Sewing time--20 minutes
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Labor cost--$2.08 Labor cost—14cents
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($8.31/hr x 15 min = $2.0775) ($.43/hr x 20 minutes = $0.143332)
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Perspectives-
The United States is one of the biggest voices to say no against sweat shops, yet they are the ones that build them in other countries. Most of the sweat shops are in Third world countries.
Abuse-
"I spend all day on my feet, working with hot vapor that usually burns my skin, and by the end of the day my arms and shoulders are in pain," a Mexican worker, Alvaro Saavedra Anzures, has told labor rights investigators. "We have to meet the quota of 1,000 pieces per day. That translates to more than a piece every minute. The quota is so high that we cannot even go to the bathroom or drink water or anything for the whole day." http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/sweatshops/sweatshopsfaq.html Most of the time verbal, physical and sexual abuse are common.
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