“A land rich in beauty.” This is how a considerable number of people view today’s Asian culture, a region with a booming economy and a scenic view at every turn. It truly is a beautiful place, a beautiful place blocked from the view of factory workers by the soot-covered windows of our modern-day sweatshops.
According to Ian Maitland’s article In Defence Of International Sweatshop, in today’s illusion society, the thought that the clothes that we wear, and the products that we use every day are made by hundreds of thousands of people working in less than poor conditions for a payment that would hardly buy the average working man a loaf of bread, never crosses our minds. It has recently been termed today’s slavery (Crossette), but it is as overlooked as a crumb on a kitchen floor. Factory life is hard, but for the workers, they have no choice. This is why it is called slavery because they must work or die from lack of supplies and sustenance for themselves and their entire family.
The working conditions are beyond horrid. Anywhere, women from age thirteen work in dark and crowded rooms with dangerous heavy machinery, working feet or even inches from a soon to be severed limb, and just adding to the noise that falls on soon becoming deaf ears. If these women are lucky enough to have children, they are fortunate enough to come to work with their mothers and spend the days in a dank room unattended and sleeping on musty old mattresses.
The situation has not changed much since the publication of the writings in Rebecca Harding Davis’ book Life in the Iron Mills. These labour practices still exist and are now constantly in the news. One of the more recent sweatshops incidents was at a factory in Hong Kong that makes giveaway toys for McDonald’s. On February twenty-first, two hundred twenty workers became seriously ill and were forced to stop work due to acetone poisoning and overwork. (AMRC) Twenty-five of the workers collapse, and three were admitted to the hospital for emergency medical treatment. Another issue in today’s society has been the Asian factories that produce Nike sneakers. The owners have just recently agreed to clean the working conditions and put in proper ventilation.
As wretched as we now know these sweatshops to be, most of the women and children do not know this as to bad, but only as their societies norm. In Fanny Fern’s short narrative “Working Girls of New York.”
Emotional… Physical… Abuse… Sweatshops, just stop them! What is a sweatshop? A sweatshop is a workplace where workers are subject to extreme exploitation, including the absence of a living wage or benefits, poor working conditions, and arbitrary discipline. Sweatshops are located all around the world but are mostly heard of in third-world countries. America still has sweatshops even though people think that they disappeared after the Industrial revolution. Sweatshops are also subject to cheap labour so that major companies can make a high profit. Greed is the cause of sweatshops and the abuse of power.
Companies such as Nike and Gap are highly looked upon as sweatshop-based companies. Remember the commercial where Gap models sing the “Love Train” song. I found that quite interesting because how could Gap have a love train when they are one of the leading companies of sweatshops? Ironic, huh? It’s not just Gap and Nike, though. Most companies use sweatshops; they just have a low profile. Action for sweatshops is being taken, but it seems to be a useless battle. I just want to open the eyes of American students because we are the future companies and maybe we can make better decisions.
Sweatshops need to end because it compromises the quality of life, the workers don’t earn a profit, and the cycle of life repeats itself.
To start, sweatshop workers are disadvantaged because they are exposed to physical risks, health problems, and no benefits. The physical abuse happens daily to a sweatshop worker. They are exposed to physical, mental, emotional, and sexual abuse. More than we could ever imagine. Why do they choose these jobs? These jobs are seen as better jobs but actually are just as bad. “Having a job in apparel manufacturing should not mean having to be subjected to starvation wages, physical and verbal abuse, excessive overtime, or a life-threatening work environment.” Would you want to work in an environment as described? Remember, not only does this happen in third world countries, but also in America. So what does this have to do with you? Sweatshops workers also suffer from severe health problems.
Sweatshops workers are around toxic chemicals daily and acute health risks for themselves and even their families. “Farmworkers suffer from chronic and acute health problems associated with the working conditions.” Sweatshops farmworkers are exposed to pesticides that are hidden in crops and can create just as much damage as any drug on the street. Not only do farmworkers have to deal with these chemicals, but they also will be fired for complaining about these conditions.
Would you risk your only job to complain about your situations? What does this have to do with us? Sweatshops workers also have to deal with not having benefits. Not like the benefits of getting a discount of the product, but nothing such as workman’s compensation.
Suppose these workers get hurt on a job they have to pay for it with their own earnings. “Inside corporate factories, workers, must be able to freely associate and advocate rights and improvements to their working conditions, pay, and benefits without fear of reprisal.” Would you be able to deal with these harsh conditions? Have you ever been scared that you would be fired by your boss if you expressed your feelings? Have you ever worked under fear at all? Well, what does this have to do with America? America is a free country, right? Wrong.
Next, sweatshop workers wages are stolen! Workers need and deserve a living wage. It is more than a constitutional right; it is a human right. Everyone deserves to live the life they want. It seems so easy for us Americans. We live in a democracy where the majority rules, but what about other countries? Are we just as fair to non-citizens? Does America give a living wage to people that aren’t citizens? Unfortunately, American doesn’t, so is America as just as we think? “Companies must pay workers a living wage- enough to meet their basic human needs and enable them to plan a better future.”
Sweatshop workers are not paid enough for the products they make. They already suffer from the inhuman environment; why do we also make them suffer through their wages? A living wage in third-world countries is way below the living wage in America. About four to five dollars lower. Why can’t we just give up twenty cents? Greed, selfish GREED! So what does this have to do with us? We are the people who buy these products and wear them. We are the future. We are the new generation. Workers also strive for a minimum wage. “Although farmworkers legally are entitled to the minimum wages, often they are cheated out of wages owed to them, or they are forced to pay for housing, transportation, or “the right to work” fees which brings their wages far below the legal minimum.”
Do you think you could live off of six seventy-five an hour and work forty hours a week? Does that match with the price of living? Would you be able to confront your boss if they were deducting three dollars off your pay for “the right to work”? Is America land of the free and home of the brave? Doesn’t Gap and Nike make enough profit to spare a couple of cents to grant a living wage to a family working in one of their shops? What about Target? Abercrombie? Wal Mart? I think so. Lastly, workers don’t get any advantages. We citizens have laws to protect us from child labour and our civil rights. Shouldn’t American shops protect the people that work in American companies and businesses? “In fact, a living wage for all sweatshop workers will hugely improve the economy of the country where the workers are based.”
American companies seem to find a loophole. Well, I guess if these people are citizens, then the government can’t do anything to protect them from these conditions, right? Wrong. Our government has the capability to protect these people, but we are too focused on the profits and money that is made so we can be the best and most developed country. It’s all a battle for low prices. If the prices are low, then more people will buy the product. A simple theory, but has the government thought about raising the minimum wage? Have they thought about the real cost of living in America? I think not. This situation of sweatshops affects all of us. As long as the prices are low, then people can strive and live on low wages.
Finally, sweatshops force people to never end the vicious cycle of abuse. You have heard of the words “like father like son” and “like mother like daughter,” in this situation, it is unfortunately true. Sweatshops provoke child labour, lack of adult responsibilities, and the lack of an education. “Due to low wages and the lack of affordable daycare, many workers bring their children with them to work in the fields,” Yet another civil rights act is exploited, child labour.
The children are innocent and deserve an education and to have fun, not to work when they are five years old. Do you expect your children to work with you when they are five? America is allowing this to happen. Our so-called “freedom” is all a mirage, and the real facts are hidden when we are watching the news and television. In America, we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, so why can’t these children have the same? Why can’t they be able have a chance to make something of themselves? Do we have the right to take it away? Why do we violate our own laws? Not just the children but also the workers deserve to be educated. “To advocated for better conditions, workers need to be educated about their rights, including local labour laws.” Don’t these workers deserve the same rights as everyone else? If we can give free education for eighteen years for the students of America, aren’t we capable of educating workers of their rights? Workers have the right to use their knowledge to see what is happening is wrong. How do you know right from wrong if you were never taught? Can true democracy ever happen? Will we always find these loopholes? Do people deserve to work in these conditions?
Although on the other hand, Co-Op America’s Guide to Ending Sweatshops and Promoting Fair Trade gives another side. “Sweatshops are a stage in economic development that a country must go through to develop and prosper like the United States. Working in a sweatshop makes a bad life better for poor people in most developing countries. Corporations are forced to exploit workers to meet consumer demands for low prices.” (Co-Op 1). Wouldn’t any job be better than no job at all? Sweatshops are doing a favour by providing jobs, and we as Americans are doing our duties and more than is expected.
Would you consider it a favour if your boss required you to endure sexual harassment, torture, unlivable wages, and serious work-related illnesses? Sweatshops and child workers can’t be free if they are trapped in the cycle of exploitation. Greed is the root of sweatshops, not consumers. If a sweatshop creates a better economy, then how come it is a vicious cycle and hasn’t ended. Sweatshops are not beneficial for our economy. If we were to pay workers the right amount of money, then the economy would actually prosper; it would meet the demands for a living wage and make other people want to work in a company like that. So if we could overcome our greediness and give a little, it can help other economies and decrease poverty.
Sweatshops are a way of life that needs to stop because workers don’t earn a profit. Sweatshops need to be stopped because it compromises the quality of life. Sweatshops need to be stopped because the cycle of life will repeat itself. Sweatshops are wrong and should be stopped! Sweatshops are the poison in our society. Sweatshops are dangerous, and we will be safe if we get rid of them. Just because sweatshop workers are employed in an American company doesn’t mean that they are treated like Americans.
Don’t they have the right to live the life they want to? Don’t they have the right to educate their family so they could have better lives in the future? Don’t they have the right to take a stand and stop child labour the physical and sexual abuse? Don’t they have the right to come home to their families and not have to work outrageous hours? Don’t they have a right to live a life? A life of happiness, prosperity? A life that we Americans can take for granted. A life that we can save. A life that we can change. So help me and stand up to these companies and fight for our rights and to fight for the people who don’t have them. Think about this. We are the new generation and the future of America. Knowledge is understanding. Understanding is the power to change. Change is not a bad thing.
Works Cited
“In defence of international sweatshops” by Ian Maitland.