Sweatshops Research Paper

With America's constant need for new clothing at cheap prices, it leads companies to use their last resort to finish orders and make a profit. Sweatshops are factories where people who live in developing countries work. Sweatshops are famous for overworking and abusing their employees, having small, cramped work spaces where there is little to no ventilation. American companies use sweatshops to get their products quickly manufactured and selling for the cheapest price possible. American Companies should not be allowed to use sweatshops and American consumers should stop buying products made by sweatshops in order to keep people in economically developing countries safe. Many people are against sweatshops because they are unsafe and harmful
For example, “...New York’s Silicon Alley is known for long working hours, cramped loft workspaces, easily tripped over power cords and non-ergonomic (not safe) keyboards, along with wages that, while “decent are stratospheric” (Olson). The point that this is trying to get across is that people who are forced to work in sweatshops are not only dealing with the nonstop working hours but also with cramped spaces and wages that make the average Mcdonald’s worker’s salary seem incredulously high. Because sweatshop workers are dealing with the extremely low wages, it not only brings the economic situation in third world countries to light, but it also illuminates the fact that American companies are paying their sweatshop employees an amount that is far too low. Yes, it is true- people spend money every day, but the majority of the things they spend money on come from sweatshops. If Americans want to keep people across the globe safe- they need to stop buying sweatshops made products. For instance, “In 1999, authorities raided Auckland (the largest city in New Zealand) sewing shop who's The owner was found to be overworking and mistreating eight of her compatriots…” (Olson). It is important to note that there are many sweatshop owners who typically overwork and abuse their employees. This is obviously not physically or emotionally helpful or healthy. They abuse and hurt their employees partly because they want their employees to be
“In April (2000), Notre Dame...announced it would heed the urgings of its Anti-Sweatshop Task Force and cease allowing manufactured of its licensed goods in any of the 3 nations where laws are considered insufficiently protective of workers…” (Olson). This defines that people can and are trying to put an end to sweatshops. Many people realize the destruction that sweatshops are creating and how abusive it is to human rights. People are not safe if they are working somewhere that does not respect human rights. Since Notre Dame stopped using sweatshops, it is not only setting a good example but it is also protecting people in developing countries from sweatshops. On the contrary, a number of people believe that if Americans continue to buy from sweatshops, it is boosting the economy and decreasing the unemployment rates in third world countries, making the developing country a safe place for the citizens (of the third world country) to live in. “The best way to help people in the poorest countries is not to campaign against sweatshops but to promote manufacturing there… Among people who work in development, many believe that one of the best hopes for the poorest countries would be to build their manufacturing industries. But global campaigns make that less likely” (Kristof). This points out that putting sweatshops in poor countries will help the people living in them. Wrong! Putting sweatshops in