Sweatshops: An Ethical Debate

Vocabulary

Dingy — dark, dirty, and unpleasant

Example: The workers were in a dingy factory with no sunlight.

Textile — related to making cloth or fabric

Example: She works in a textile factory that produces clothes.

Activism — taking action to create change

Example: Consumer activism can influence big companies.

Scandal — a shocking or immoral event that people talk about

Example: The company faced a scandal after using sweatshop labor.

Exploit / Exploited — to treat someone unfairly to benefit from them

Example: The workers were exploited and paid very little.

Boycott / Boycotted — to stop buying from or supporting something as a protest

Example: Many people boycotted the brand after the news.

Get caught up in (something) — to become involved in something, often negative

Example: The company got caught up in a major scandal.

Leverage — to use something to gain an advantage

Example: Consumers can leverage their money to influence companies.

Break out — to start suddenly (usually something bad like fire)

Example: A fire broke out in the factory.

Stepping stone — something that helps you reach a better position later

Example: Some people see sweatshops as a stepping stone for development.

Hypocritical — saying one thing but doing another

Example: It is hypocritical to criticize others for something you also did.

Condemn — to strongly say something is wrong

Example: Many people condemn the use of sweatshops.

Harness — equipment used for safety (especially when working at heights)

Example: The workers had no harness while working on tall buildings.

Small-scale — done on a small level, not big

Example: He works in small-scale mining.

Refuge — a place or situation that provides safety

Example: For some, sweatshops are a refuge from worse jobs.

Radically — in a very extreme or complete way

Example: Some people want to radically change the system.

Audit — to check or inspect something carefully

Example: Companies audit factories to check working conditions.

Upend — to completely change or disrupt something

Example: The new law could upend the entire industry.

Sweatshops: An Ethical Debate

If you've ever imagined where your clothes were made or who made them, you might have this terrible image in your head of a dark, dingy factory with women and children slaving away over sewing machines as they stitch together pieces of apparel for 12 hours a day and only receiving a dollar an hour. That's called a sweatshop.

The definition of a sweatshop is a textile factory that violates the human rights of its workers. Sweatshops are most common in underdeveloped and currently developing nations such as Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. In fact, most of the biggest brands that we all love, such as Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi, and pretty much all the big fashion brands, use sweatshop labor.

For many people in developed nations, it is inhumane and unacceptable to find out that the brands we support and buy from are using such unethical means of production. Thus, we have observed a new trend called consumer activism, which is when consumers take action and only make ethical purchases. For example, when Levi or Nike got caught up in a sweatshop scandal, many people boycotted their brands and refused to buy from companies that exploited sweatshop labor. By doing this, consumers can leverage their purchasing power and force corporations to adopt higher ethical standards

In 2013, the 8-story Rana Plaza in Bangladesh collapsed with thousands of sweatshop workers stuck inside, over 1,100 of them died, and another 2,500 or so were injured. It was one of the biggest industrial tragedies in the world. The windows were barred shut, the exits were locked. As the local Bangladesh news referred to it, it was a death trap. However, another similar incident happened in New York back in 1911, more than 500 migrant workers were locked behind the chained exit doors of a sweatshop when a fire broke out, and 146 workers died. That’s right, the U.S. also had sweatshops.

Interestingly, sweatshops have been more or less an economic stepping stone for developing nations. All of Europe used them, the US used them, and so did Japan, Korea, and most other developed countries. For this reason, some people argue that it is hypocritical for anyone to condemn a developing country that uses the same tactics. In countries like Bangladesh and Cambodia, the textile industry can make up over 40 percent of their GDP and 80% of their total exports.

Many economists defend sweatshops with the argument that "the alternative is worse," and honestly, they might be right. In these developing countries, up to 90% of the job market is informal, meaning that people are working for themselves or an unregistered business; it’s the opposite of having a formal job with a work contract. The problem is that these informal and unregulated jobs are extremely dangerous and inhumane. Jobs like painting the exterior of high-rise apartments without a harness, manual sewer cleaning, or illegal, small-scale mining are extremely common and equally dangerous. And to what's worse is that there is a large number of people without any job opportunities and are facing extreme poverty.

However, while it might be true that sweatshops are often a form of refuge for those facing extreme poverty and much worse alternatives, it doesn’t make it right. Just because someone else is doing something worse, it shouldn't change what is morally acceptable. However, maintaining a moral mindset still doesn’t answer the question. Should we support companies that use sweatshop labor or not?

Well, on the one hand, boycotting companies that use sweatshop labor has led to some noticeable improvement. These days, some companies, such as Nike, are enforcing higher sweatshop standards. For example, if a Nike representative inspects a factory and finds slave-like or inhumane conditions, that factory loses its contract with Nike. This is a sign that consumer activism is working.

The problem with a full boycott, however, is that we now know the alternative can be worse. Cutting a factory's contracts doesn't free its workers; it only forces them into a worse position. So perhaps the goal of consumer activism shouldn't be to radically close down all sweatshops completely, but to direct the money we spend more carefully. Supporting brands that audit their factories, demand living wages, and publish their supply chains transparently is a more sensible way to make an influence than by simply not buying anything.

None of our options are comfortable. Boycotting every fashion brand in the world - that’s uncomfortable. Researching the supply chains of every company we want to buy from - also uncomfortable. Buying clothes while knowing a child slave made it in Asia - again, very uncomfortable. We don’t have to upend our lives immediately; the best thing to do is simply to acknowledge that there is a problem and start making small, realistic changes.

Questions:

• Did you know about sweatshops before this article?

• What was your opinion before reading this article? Did this article change your opinion?

• Did anything in this article shock you?

• What famous clothing brands are popular in your country?

• Have you ever thought about boycotting a company before? If so, why?

  
  

• What is your opinion on big companies such as Nike using sweatshop labor?

• Do you think that sweatshops are less unethical when we consider how bad the alternatives are?

• Do you think we should boycott certain companies? Why?

• Would you pay more money for clothing if you knew the workers were treated fairly?

• Do you think consumers really have enough power to change big companies? Why or why not?

• Do you think rich countries sometimes judge developing countries unfairly?

• Should wealthier countries donate money to poorer countries to help fix their problem? Why or why not?

  
  

• If sweatshops suddenly disappeared tomorrow, what problems could happen?

• Why do some companies improve their conditions only after a scandal happens?

• Would you rather have a low-paying but safe job or a dangerous job that pays more?

  
  

• Does your country have a lot of informal workers?

• Do you think your country has a good job market? Can most people in your country have a job that they like?

• Is there a large social class gap in your country?