exposing sweatshops
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Exposing Sweatshops. Term for a working environment which is dangerous or unacceptably difficult. What is the Problem?. Violates Child Labor Laws. Long Hours. May be hazardous and subject to abuse. Sweatshops Around the World, 2008 Sweatshops Across the World, 2008. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Exposing Sweatshops.
Sweatshop?
Term for a working environment which is dangerous or unacceptably difficult.
What is the Problem?
Sweatshops Around the World, 2008Sweatshops Across the World, 2008
Long
Hours
Violates
Child Labor Laws
May be hazardous and subject to abuse
Conditions
Crowded
Poor Ventilation
Rat Infestations
Prone to Fires
What is being done to combat Sweatshops?
U.S. LawAn employer that violates more than one federal or state labor law governing
minimum wage and overtime, child labor,
occupational safety and health.
Chinese Labor Contract Law
Effective January 2008;Meant to protect workers from companies on the issue of pay,
overtime, health and safety practices and to create fair and safe practices
for Chinese workers.
Exposing Corporations
http://www.thejournal.ie/60-big-name-brands-continuing-to-use-sweatshop-labour-130318-May2011/
Adidas Converse
Abercrombie & Fitch
Victoria’s
Secret
Billabong
“(corporations)routinely break every rule
in the book when it comes to labor rights. A huge number of high street chains and
sporting goods retailers...”
Because of investigative journalism, injustices are revealed.
They ask the tough questions.
They connect developed nations with the source.
Journalists have the ability to tell the “Little Guy’s” story and expose the unjust practices of multinational corporations.
Foxconn China, Tricia Wang; Flickr.com (Creative Commons)
Foxconn Factory in China
Products Produced
Apple Microsoft Hewlett-Packard
1.2 million workers
Creative Commons
Fair Labor Association Foxconn Investigation
Hours •More than 60 hours/week
Pay •Unpaid overtime•Low salaries ($360-$455 per month)
Safety •Health risks
Chinese workers threatened to commit suicide in January 2012.
150
“Foxconn Resolves a Dispute With Some Workers in China” – NY Times January 2012
Anti-Foxconn Protest in Taiwan, Courtesy of Creative CommonsImage by ttstam/Flickr, under Creative Commons
What was fixed?
Working hours adjusted to Chinese legal limit of 49 hours/week
25% increase in pay
“The report will include new promises made by Apple
that stand just as empty as the ones made over the
past five years” – SumOfUs.org
What about 2012?Do you love your iphone?
We all do. Well despite laws in China, the country continually
uses labor practices which would be illegal in Europe and the U.S.
Do you love your cheap University T-Shirts?
April 14, 2012
Olympics 2012 chiefs concerned by Adidas 'sweatshop'AFP – Sat, Apr 14, 2012
Accusations of sweatshop use in the production of LONDON 2012 team uniforms sparked controversy
"We have spoken to Adidas and they have assured us that they are
investigating these allegations, the conclusions of which will be made
public.”
Flickr, Creative Commons
April 27th, 2012 A number of Foxconn Workers protested despite alleged
changes made to salary and working conditions
Creative Commons
Why?
GLOBALIZATION
Has changed the “game” in production
In 2012, Journalists from
Giving the public a sense of where their favorite products
actually originate.
exposed the Foxconn Protests
New York TimesBBC News
CNN
Bloomberg BusinessWeek and Huffington Post
Fox News
“Companies could present a more
transparent view of their supply chain”
What Can Corporations Do?
What can
you Do?
Try and Buy Fair Trade
“exercise due diligence when buying from any company that makes fair-trade claims. The willingness of Fair Indigo, American Apparel and others to disclose their practices on the Web could help” – NY Times
Sources
“Secrets, Lies, and Sweatshops,” Bloomberg BusinessWeek http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_48/b4011001.htm.
“Background on Sweatshops,” DoSomething.org http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/background-sweatshops
“Mass suicide' protest at Apple manufacturer Foxconn factory,” The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9006988/Mass-Suicide-Protest-at-Apple-Manufacturer-Foxconn-factory.html.
“Foxconn Apple Factories Violated Chinese Labor Laws, According To Fair Labor Association,” Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/foxconn-apple-factories-labor-violations_n_1389392.html.
“Labor Contract Law of the People's Republic of China”http://en.cnci.gov.cn/Law/LawDetails.aspx?ID=6079&p=1.
“A Click on Clothes to Support Fair Trade,” New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/technology/25ecom.html?pagewanted=all.
“Apple Supplier Foxconn Pledges to Improve Worker Conditions,” http://www.neontommy.com/news/2012/03/apple-supplier-foxconn-pledges-improve-worker-conditions.
“Overseas Sweatshops are a U.S. Responsibility,” Bloomberg BusinessWeek. http://www.businessweek.com/debateroom/archives/2007/06/overseas_sweats.html.
“Apple Addresses Foxconn Factory Report,” BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17557630.
“Foxconn Workers Protest Wages, Threaten to Jump off Roof,” Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/foxconn-apple-factories-labor-violations_n_1389392.html.
Spring 2012 Final ExamCommunication Ethics
Aubrey Bellezza