Phl 320 Labor Practices Research Paper

Labor Practices Paper

By: Kristopher Watkins

For: Chris Mendoza

PHL/320

December 15, 2014

Labor Practices Paper

Many companies are using sweat shops to manufacture their products at a much cheaper cost. However, there is a much deeper cost of using sweat shops then what can be placed in monetary value. I think it is time people begin to consider what sweat shops are doing to the people in this world and how dangerous they can be. Sweat shops may save companies money, but you do not want your company exposed on the news because your sweat shop in Bangladesh caught fire and killed 1,000 employees because fire safety regulations were not met.

Sweat shops are used to describe a subcontracting system where the middle
Companies will find smaller, poorer countries that have little to no regulations as far as safety and pay go to establish these sweat shops in. They pay their employees as much in a month as what many of us would make in a day. They are also forced to work extensively long hours in conditions that are extremely hazardous to their health. There are a high number of easily preventable deaths every year due to these sweat shops not meeting safety and health regulations. The contractors and managers of these establishments are also notorious for being highly abusive to their employees both mentally and physically. They would also target women and children for employment in sweat shops as they were manipulated much more easily than men. Also, they were much less likely to retaliate against the managers. Sweat shops often force people into working in these conditions. The people have no choice but to do so as they have families to take care of and without these sweat shops work would be placed elsewhere leaving them without any work at all. Many companies, especially in the clothing industry, are using these sweat shops
Companies in other countries can easily influence other companies into placing sweat shops in their locations due to minimum safety and labor law requirements. Consumers should seriously consider researching the products you use and determining where they come from, how they were made, and what type of environment were they made in.
Consumers should then stop purchasing items made from those companies using sweat shops to produce their product. Do you really think the shirt your wearing was worth 1,500 people dying in 2012? Laws should also be implemented that hold these companies responsible for these workers wages and working conditions. It is the contractor’s responsibility to do this so companies can easily hide behind these contractors. By enforcing these laws we would significantly reduce this problem. Companies still may chose to manufacture their product in another country but those workers would now be receiving adequate pay along with a safe work environment without the long, extensive hours. In 1999, California passed Assembly Bill 633, which is a law that holds garment manufacturers and retailers responsible for employee wages
and