Consumers should avoid purchasing products that are made in sweatshops if they are financially able to do so because the multinational enterprises (MNE’s) exploit their sweatshop employees, creating dangerous working conditions. Also, consumers that can afford to purchase products not made in a sweatshop should not out-source their money, but instead keep the money in the American monetary system and purchase products that are made in the United States. Sweatshops usually have long shifts and mandatory overtime which increases the workers’ hours, but not necessarily their pay, essentially exploiting them for cheap labor. Establishing a wage that is below the specific country’s poverty level uses workers as ends rather than means, therefore
The controversial issue of sweatshops is one often over looked by The United States. In the Social Issues Encyclopedia, entry # 167, Matt Zwolinski tackles the issues of sweatshops. In this article Matt raises a question I have not been able to get out of my head since I have begun researching this topic, “ are companies who contract with sweatshops doing anything wrong?” this article goes on to argue that the people who work in the sweatshops willingly choose to work there, despite the poor environment. Many people in third world countries depend on the sweatshops to earn what they can to have any hopes of surviving. If the sweatshops were to shut down many people would lose their jobs, and therefore have no source of income. This may lead people to steal and prostitution as well. this article is suggesting that sweatshops will better the economy by giving people a better job than what they may have had. Due to this the companies contracting with sweatshops are not acting wrong in any way. This was a deductive article it had a lot of good examples to show how sweatshops are beneficial to third world countries. Radly Balko seemed to have the same view point as Matt Zwolinski. Many people believe the richer countries should not support the sweatshops Balko believes if people stopped buying products made in sweatshops the companies will have to shut down and relocate, firing all of the present workers. Rasing the fact that again the worker will have no source of income, the workers need the sweatshop to survive. Balko also uses the argument that the workers willingly work in the current environments.
In today’s world, increasing big companies open factories in developing countries but many people said it is unethical and the factories are sweatshops. Most of the sweatshops were opened in east Asia and third-world countries and regions. The companies open the sweatshops in order to get more benefits is a kind of very irresponsible behavior. For example, Apple's factories in China are not good and unethical. Audit finds
Look down at the clothes you're wearing right now, chances are almost every single thing you are currently wearing was made in a sweatshop. It is estimated that between 50-75% of all garments are made under sweatshop like conditions. Designers and companies get 2nd party contractors to hire people to work in these factories, this is a tool to make them not responsible for the horrendous conditions. They get away with it by saying they are providing jobs for people in 3rd world countries so its okay, but in reality they are making their lives even worse. These companies and designers only care about their bank accounts so if they can exploit poor, young people from poverty stricken countries they surely will, and they do. A sweatshop is a factory
With the continued rise of consumer "needs" in "industrial" countries such as the United States, and the consistently high price that corporations must pay to produce goods in these countries, companies are looking to "increase (their) profits by driving down costs any way possible... To minimize costs, companies look for places with the lowest wages and human rights protections" (Dosomething). Countries with lax or unenforced labor laws grant multinational corporations the leeway to use cheap foreign labor to mass-produce their commodities so that they can be sold in countries like America. These inexpensive, sometimes borderline illegal, establishments are known as sweatshops. In his book Timmerman discusses the topic of sweatshops in great detail. Originally in search of "where (his) T-shirt was made(;) (Timmerman) (went) to visit the factory where it was made and (met) the people who made (it)" (Timmerman5).
...e their product. Sweatshops are found usually all over the world and need to make a better decision as in more labor laws, fair wages, and safety standards to better the workers' conditions. It should benefit the mutually experiences by both the employers and the employees. Most important is the need to be educated about their rights and including local labor laws.
Sweatshops are similar to factory or workshop where workers work for long hours at very low wages and are forced to work in a poor working condition. Sweatshops have also been known widely in the world for its ethical issues. Although it seems to be lucrative by paying low wages to the workers, it still violates the fundamental requirements of the workers’ welfare and working condition. From the perspective of the businesses, paying low wages means reducing the cost of production and increasing in the profits.
It is often said that products made in sweatshops are cheap and that is why people buy those products, but why is it behind the clothes or shoes that we wear that make sweatshops bad? In the article Sweat, Fire and Ethics by Bob Jeffcott is trying to persuade the people and tell them how sweatshops are bad. Bob Jeffcott supports the effort of workers of the global supply chains in order to win improved wages and good working conditions and a better quality of life of those who work on sweatshops. He mentions and describes in detail how the conditions of the sweatshops are and how the people working in them are forced to long working hours for little money. He makes the question, “we think we can end sweatshops abuses by just changing our individual buying habits?” referring to we can’t end the abuses that those women have by just stopping of buying their products because those women still have to work those long hours because other people are buying their product for less pay or less money.
In his article “Sweatshops, Choice, and Exploitation” Matt Zwolinski attempts to tackle the problem of the morality of sweatshops, and whether or not third parties or even the actors who create the conditions, should attempt to intervene on behalf of the workers. Zwolinski’s argument is that it is not right for people to take away the option of working in a sweatshop, and that in doing so they are impeding on an individual’s free choice, and maybe even harming them. The main distinction that Zwolinski makes is that choice is something that is sacred, and should not be impeded upon by outside actors. This is showcased Zwolinski writes, “Nevertheless, the fact that they choose to work in sweatshops is morally significant. Taken seriously, workers' consent to the conditions of their labor should lead us to abandon certain moral objections to sweatshops, and perhaps even to view them as, on net, a good thing.” (Zwolinski, 689). He supports his argument of the importance of free choice by using a number of different tactics including hypothetical thought exercises and various quotes from other articles which spoke about the effects of regulation business. Throughout the article there were multiple points which helped illuminate Zwolinski’s argument as well as multiple points which muddle the argument a bit.
“Sweatshops Are the Norm in the Global Apparel Industry. We’re Standing up to Change That.” International Labor Rights Forum. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2014. .
The Benefits of Sweatshop Sweatshops, when left to operate without government intervention, are the most efficient way out of poverty especially in developing countries. This argument may feel far fetched, but when examined in the context of those working at sweatshops and the locations sweatshops are most often constructed in, the reason why this is true is apparent. The benefits of sweatshops can be found by examining how they increase living conditions, examining the locations where sweatshops are constructed, and looking at how government regulations on factories don’t help anyone. Sweatshops increase the standards of living for the workers and their communities.
Sweatshops were never an unusual site in Chinatown, however it was after government action took place against them and the nation’s best media outlets ran in-depth stories, that they gained national attention. People began to hear stories of immigrants working 15-hour days within filthy garment factories for wages, below the minimum pay line. Over time, sweatshops have gained a negative connotation, which they deserve for the working conditions they have set in place for their employees. To be even rumored of running a sweatshop in New York could destroy your reputation amongst clients as proven by Koichi Utsugi, in an article for the New York Times. After employees from the New York State Department of Labor raided his workplace, Utsugi lost countless clients. “I have so little work. Three of my biggest customers, they’re gone. They all pulled out because of this,” (Feuer 1). Utsugi was found not guilty, nevertheless the raid had an everlasting effect on his business, proving that although sweatshops were and possibly still are abundant, they remain heavily looked down upon by the general public.
Some may believe that a made in America label means not made in a sweatshop, (Refinery29). Just because a product is made in America, research needs to place to make sure. There are sweatshops in America today, even though many people believe that it will be impossible, but companies can find loopholes in the regulations. Big companies can sign subcontractors and will pay them to run the independently owned factory. Eventually, these subcontractors will auction off jobs in the factory for the lowest price. Most commonly the workers are immigrants and either do not know they have the right to a certain wage or they are illegal immigrants and if they complain about the working conditions the owner will simply call the U.S immigration enforcement. Sweatshops will use this intimidation to maintain the low wages of their workers and if someone does complain they will simply close down for about a month, then open back up under a new name and the cycle goes on and will continue to go on unless we do something about it. These workers cannot even think about standing up for themselves or forming a labor union because if they did, they will face the risk of losing the job that gave them at least a little bit of cash, although well below the poverty line. They also risk physical abuse and in some cases having to be deported (mtholyoke). That is why they need help and other voices to stand up for them because they are unable to stand up for themselves because of the great risk
Many people in our society today are constantly asking, "Why do sweatshops exist?" The answer to this question is that companies like Nike and Wal-Mart use sweatshops to produce their goods for a much cheaper rate, to reduce the cost of their products. The problem with sweatshops is that the workers are subject to hard work in often times poor conditions for minimal pay. But although many people may condemn sweatshops, there are some advantages that many people overlook when arguing against sweatshops and their practices.
Women and children are soaking in their sweat standing for almost 12 hours inside a scorching, hot building while working non-stop. They barely had food to eat for the day and little rest. Young children have even severely injured themselves using the machines to build various products that we use day-to-day. These are the conditions that sweatshop workers experience every single day. From the shoes and shirts we wear to the toys that little children play, these products were all made from sweatshops all around the world. People in third world countries only find sweatshops as their only option to provide food and money for their families. Companies have profited enormous amounts of money by employing underprivileged people to build their products for cheap prices and exposing them in very dangerous and inhumane conditions. These sweatshops must be removed and illegalized, and at the same time, provide better alternatives for these people. Even though sweatshops somewhat boost businesses and provide for families, they are very oppressive and unsympathetic.
Globalization and industrialization contribute to the existence of sweatshops, which are where garments are made cheaply, because they are moving production and consumption of those cheap goods. Industrialization has enabled for global distribution, to exchange those goods around the world. They can also set apart the circumstances of consumption and production, which Western countries as mass consumers, are protected from of producers in less developed countries. These factories are usually located in less developed countries and face worker exploitation and changes in social structures. Technological innovation allows for machines to take the place of workers and do all the dirty work instead of workers doing hours of hard work by hand.