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Sweat Shops

This version was saved 14 years, 6 months ago View current version     Page history
Saved by Samantha
on September 23, 2009 at 7:01:19 am
 

     Sweatshops

Work environments that possess three major characteristics—long hours, low pay, and unsafe or unhealthy working conditions.”

Boyd Childress

 

 

            http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/091207/close-down-sweatshops.gif

 

The Problem-  

            People around the world are working in hard conditions. Most do not make enough money to liven.  Some work 14 hour days and seven days week.  Some may get lucky and have 14 cents an hour wage. Some are even under age. 

"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 and 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

 

 

Why this is going on-

             People want low cost things.  To get the low cost, you need to have cheep labor.

 

Pair of pants-  

Made in the USA                                Made in Nicaragua

Retail price $17.99                                                                      Retail price $17.99

Average U.S.$8.31/hour                                                      highest  wage in Nicaragua- 43 cent/hour

Sewing time--15 minutes                                                            Sewing time--20 minutes

Labor cost--$2.08                                                                           Labor cost—14cents

($8.31/hr x 15 min = $2.0775)                                              ($.43/hr x 20 minutes = $0.143332)

 

 

What people think-

 

          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 there is verbal, physical and sexual abuse. 

"I refused his offer to have sex.  He moved me to another production line to see what they could do to me; if they could fire me."http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/47/266.html

 

 

 

Who uses and where-

Gap-Thailand

Wal-Mart-China

Nike-India

Tommy Hilfiger-

Liz Claiborne-  (jacket selling-$198.  Manufactured-$.84cents)

Kathie Lee Gifford-

 

    

 

Not just third world-

            2000-more than half of the sewing shops (22,000) in the U.S, violated minimum wage and overtime laws.  75% violated health and safety laws.  98% of Los Angeles garment factories violated health and safety standards (blocked fire exits, unsanitary bathrooms and poor ventilation). The workers are almost entirely immigrants making about 1/3 of a proper wage.

Workers-

          85% of sweatshop workers are women between ages 15-25. Because of this, employers often force the women to take birth control (they do routine pregnancy tests) so they do not have to pay for a women to have maternity leave. Women are often fired if they becoming pregnant.

 

 

http://ethicalstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/sweatshop3.jpg

 

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