Sweat shops
Introduction
A sweatshop is a work place, often a factory, in which employees work long hours at low wages under poor conditions. Although sweatshops virtually disappeared after World War II because of increased governement regulations and the rise of unions, they have reappeared, and are steadily increasing in number throughout the world. This is due, in large part, to economic globalization. Multinational corporations have been moving production facilities out of democratic, industrial nations into impoverished, developing countries in order to take advantage of cheap labor and to avoid scrutiny from governments and human rights organizations. MNC 's are concerned with the production of goods for world markets at lowest possible costs in order to maximize profit. Unfortunately, the exploitation of workers is commonly a consequence of this global "development". Suprisingly, sweatshops are not restricted to poor and developing nations. The Department of Labor indicates that 50% of garment factories in the U.S. violate two or more basic labor laws, establishing them as sweatshops. Sweatshops exist wherever there is an opportunity to exploit workers who lack the knowledge and resources to stand up for themselves. Typical sweatshop employees, ninety percent of whom are women, are young and uneducated. Many of them are recent or undocumented immigrants who are unaware of their legal rights. Young women throughout the world are subject to horrible working conditions and innumerable injustices because corporations, many of which are U.S.-owned, can get away with it.
Conditions in Sweatshops
Sweatshops violate women 's human rights throughout the world. Common abuses include low wages that fail to meet basic costs of living, substandard and unsafe working and living conditions, long hours of overtime for which employees are not compensated, and sexual harassment. In addition to these, women are often forced into indentured servitude. Lured by recruiters who promise
A sweatshop is a work place, often a factory, in which employees work long hours at low wages under poor conditions. Although sweatshops virtually disappeared after World War II because of increased governement regulations and the rise of unions, they have reappeared, and are steadily increasing in number throughout the world. This is due, in large part, to economic globalization. Multinational corporations have been moving production facilities out of democratic, industrial nations into impoverished, developing countries in order to take advantage of cheap labor and to avoid scrutiny from governments and human rights organizations. MNC 's are concerned with the production of goods for world markets at lowest possible costs in order to maximize profit. Unfortunately, the exploitation of workers is commonly a consequence of this global "development". Suprisingly, sweatshops are not restricted to poor and developing nations. The Department of Labor indicates that 50% of garment factories in the U.S. violate two or more basic labor laws, establishing them as sweatshops. Sweatshops exist wherever there is an opportunity to exploit workers who lack the knowledge and resources to stand up for themselves. Typical sweatshop employees, ninety percent of whom are women, are young and uneducated. Many of them are recent or undocumented immigrants who are unaware of their legal rights. Young women throughout the world are subject to horrible working conditions and innumerable injustices because corporations, many of which are U.S.-owned, can get away with it.
Conditions in Sweatshops
Sweatshops violate women 's human rights throughout the world. Common abuses include low wages that fail to meet basic costs of living, substandard and unsafe working and living conditions, long hours of overtime for which employees are not compensated, and sexual harassment. In addition to these, women are often forced into indentured servitude. Lured by recruiters who promise