Sweatshops. Overview of Topics General Questions about Sweatshops General Questions about Sweatshops Case Study Case Study Companies involved with Sweatshops.

SweatshopsSweatshops

Overview of TopicsOverview of Topics

• General Questions General Questions about Sweatshopsabout Sweatshops

• Case Study Case Study • Companies involved Companies involved

with Sweatshopswith Sweatshops• Fighting Back: Anti Fighting Back: Anti

Sweatshop Sweatshop OrganizationsOrganizations

• Relating to Labour Relating to Labour StudiesStudies

What is a Sweatshop?What is a Sweatshop?

• Employer that violates more than one Employer that violates more than one labourlabour law law

• Factory where workers are subject to Factory where workers are subject to extreme exploitation, including low extreme exploitation, including low wages, no benefits, filthy and/or wages, no benefits, filthy and/or dangerous working conditions, denial dangerous working conditions, denial of their worker and human rights.of their worker and human rights.

Where Do They Exist?Where Do They Exist?• All over the worldAll over the world

• Most found in severely Most found in severely undeveloped undeveloped countries countries

• Some found in Underground operations Some found in Underground operations right here right here in the US.in the US.

Why Do They Exist?Why Do They Exist?

• Corporate greed.Corporate greed.• Global competition to produce goods Global competition to produce goods

at lowest price.at lowest price.• ItIt’’s cost effective for corporations to s cost effective for corporations to

subcontract their manufacturing to subcontract their manufacturing to suppliers. suppliers.

Who Works There?Who Works There?

• Mostly young women Mostly young women ages 14 – 30ages 14 – 30

• Women make up Women make up more than 90% of more than 90% of factory job in poor factory job in poor countries countries

• Children are often Children are often hired as well (as hired as well (as young as 8 years young as 8 years old).old).

A sweatshop in BangladeshA sweatshop in Bangladesh

Conditions Workers FaceConditions Workers Face

• Routinely abusedRoutinely abused• 14 hour days, 7 days a week14 hour days, 7 days a week• Mandatory 19 hour all night shifts at least Mandatory 19 hour all night shifts at least

once a weekonce a week• Payment usually 2 weeks latePayment usually 2 weeks late• Legal maternity benefits deniedLegal maternity benefits denied• Forced to work 35 to 42 hours of overtime in Forced to work 35 to 42 hours of overtime in

a week. a week. • No place to eat, drinking water is filthyNo place to eat, drinking water is filthy• Up to 100 hours in a weekUp to 100 hours in a week

Abusive ConditionsAbusive Conditions

• Workers pay is docked 2 days if Workers pay is docked 2 days if supervisors authority is challengedsupervisors authority is challenged

• Women denied maternity benefitsWomen denied maternity benefits• No health insurance, sick days, minimal No health insurance, sick days, minimal

aidaid• No speaking during workNo speaking during work• Attempt to exercise legal right= mass Attempt to exercise legal right= mass

beatings and firings beatings and firings

Living Conditions for a Disney Living Conditions for a Disney WorkerWorker

• Can only afford to rent a tiny one Can only afford to rent a tiny one room hut with 4 other workersroom hut with 4 other workers

• One outhouse and water pump is One outhouse and water pump is shared between 60 other peopleshared between 60 other people

• Live off of rice, 3 times a dayLive off of rice, 3 times a day• Only 4 to 5 hours of sleep before Only 4 to 5 hours of sleep before

work begins againwork begins again

Niagra Textiles Ltd.Niagra Textiles Ltd.

• A seven floor factoryA seven floor factory• A Company Disney subcontracts to A Company Disney subcontracts to

make their merchandise.make their merchandise.• Why? To avoid direct connection to Why? To avoid direct connection to

the sweatshopthe sweatshop• Approximately 60% women workersApproximately 60% women workers• Approximately 85% of workers are Approximately 85% of workers are

aged 16-25aged 16-25

Worker WagesWorker Wages

• Sewers earn 11 to 20 cents / hourSewers earn 11 to 20 cents / hour• Helpers earn 7-8 cents / hourHelpers earn 7-8 cents / hour

• Workers usually are cheated of their Workers usually are cheated of their paypay

• Routinely paid lateRoutinely paid late

Typical Shift for a Typical Shift for a WorkerWorker

• 8:00am to 1:00pm (work for 5 hours)8:00am to 1:00pm (work for 5 hours)

• 1:00 pm to 2:00pm (lunch break)1:00 pm to 2:00pm (lunch break)

• 2:00pm to 5:00pm (work for 3 hours)2:00pm to 5:00pm (work for 3 hours)

• 5:00pm to 10:00pm (work 5 hours 5:00pm to 10:00pm (work 5 hours overtime)overtime)

Other CompaniesOther Companies

• Nike, Adidas, PumaNike, Adidas, Puma• Reebok, FilaReebok, Fila• Gap, Old Navy, Gap, Old Navy,

Banana Republic, Banana Republic, • Wal-Mart, JC PennyWal-Mart, JC Penny• Levi StraussLevi Strauss• Dell, Apple, Dell, Apple,

Hewlett - PackardHewlett - Packard

Fighting BackFighting Back

• International Labour International Labour Organization (ILO)Organization (ILO) o UN agencyUN agencyo seeks social justice and seeks social justice and

internationally recognized internationally recognized human and labour rights.human and labour rights.

• Sweatshop WatchSweatshop Watch o coalition committed to coalition committed to

eliminating the exploitation that eliminating the exploitation that occurs and the illegal and occurs and the illegal and inhumane conditions that inhumane conditions that characterize sweatshops.characterize sweatshops.

Tying in With Labour Tying in With Labour StudiesStudies

• Classes and Divisions Classes and Divisions of the Workforceof the Workforce

• The severe challenges The severe challenges of Unionizingof Unionizing

• Post FordismPost Fordism

• Labour EqualityLabour Equality

• GlobalizationGlobalization