Sweatshops: The Truth

[vangion]

How many that are whining about these wages have ever been to the countries mentioned?

You ask if $1.60 a day is fair in Vietnam, hell yes it is.

My wife is from there and worked for less than $1 a day in the rice paddies as a child. The rest of her family makes little more today.

These factories represent huge opportunity to the community.

And by the way, I don't know where your figures come from but Nike operates on a less than 10% profit

[Dawgmeat117]

what a RIDICULOUS video. people are "forced" to work with low wages, no benefits and long hours. like HELL they are, they CHOOSE to work in the factory. what kind of wages, benefits and hours do you think accompany working in a rice field ? know many rice farmers on a PPO health plan ? IDIOTS !!! they choose to work in the factory because the wages are BETTER, the conditions are BETTER and the hours are LESS. people who cry about sweat shops dont know what its like to go hungry.

[Riellysdad]

Don't go to the third world and tell these workers you want to close the sweatshops and "free" them from exploitation...they will get angry and lynch you. These places provided them far better wages and conditions than they can get elsewhere and to lose them would be devastating. Western bleeding heart goodie goodies who think they are "helping ' these people are clueless...If you really want to aid them buy their produce and encourage more Western companies to set up there and let them compete.

[CrocodilusPontifex]

If you don't like sweatshops, feel free to have all your clothes made by your local tailor. Just be prepared to pay an arm and a leg just for a t-shirt and underwear.

[Feterlj]

I wonder how much it costs to live confortably there, 1 US dollar converts to 6.5 Chinese Yaun, and like 20,000 Vietnamse Dong. I wish someone would research what sweatshop workers NEED to live on first instead of researching what they actually make. I am neither for or against sweatshops untill I know for sure what it costs to live in China, Vietnam, or any other country.

[rynasoom]

@Feterlj I've lived in Cambodia, it isn't easy to live on 60-100 dollars a month feeding a family. Poor families do not have electricity, so no refrigerator to store foods. beef 5-7$ kg, 1 chicken is 2.50, vegetables and fruit between 2-5$ kg, clothes 2-20$. I've seen a family share 1 egg and a pot of rice among the 6 of them. Those factories do offer jobs, however the wages should be fair considering the condition, .31 cents an hour You can almost buy yourself a meal. 1usd isn't much.

[321boileranimal]

Why doesn't anyone ever make humanitarian videos for American sweat shops, like Brunswick. Try organizing in a southern boat factory and see what happens to you they practically do the same thing here as what they do in Asia, we should worry about our own first.

[ToriBlack13]

i think people are really ignorant to not care about sweatshops. were not trying to close down nike people. were trying to help the people at these sweatshops with higher wages , better working environments, and benefits. i know everyone has a family in america. how would you feel about this if it was you? think before you speak. be wise. 

[MDM781]

What a load of crap! They can find work else where, rice paddies, farm, fish, services like bike taxis, they don't have to work there, they choose to because it pays better than most other jobs!! Abolish these factories dubbed SWEATSHOPS and a great employment opportunity is lost. Also consider shipping costs, they are not making a 2000% profit. there are other costs involved. Facts are facts, its cheaper over there for labor. OH THOSE POOR INDIAN PEOPLE, ANSWERING ALL OUR CUSTOMER SERVES CALLS!

[cooler316619]

@MDM781

Then why doesn't those huge corporations pass the savings onto the consumers? Think about it: $100 USD for a pair of Nikes, with $1 going into the labor, and about $10 for shipping. Where does the other $89 go? Only to the payrolls of the corporations, and making them richer.

[BeaveHolio]

@cooler316619

retail shops in america.

[Dawgmeat117]

@cooler316619 - if you had a product that cost you $5 to produce and people would gladly pay $100 for it, would you sell it for $25 ? of course you wouldnt. it never ceases to amaze me the pure idiocy that surround the claims of people who are against sweat shops.

[olihaddon97]

great vid, explains everything i needed.

[Gater1337]

i guess now we know why nike's slogan is "Just do it".

[AbiTheRambler]

OMG :(

I'm watching this for Geogarphy and we had to list were every items of clothing were made most of mine were made in China and I HAVE NIKE SHOES. I also heard they bought over Converse and I have many Converse. Also, if we buy cheaper more poverty but I dont wanna buy fairtrade cuz its way more expensive than Brands that use sweatshops and most are ugly :(

[cooler316619]

@AbiTheRambler

Yes, that's very true. The issue is a lot like electric cars or solar panels. They're expensive now and don't appeal to the average American. Same thing with FairTrade brands because their reputation isn't built yet.

[cubanchicas1]

thats terrible.

[spol07]

Could somebody explain to me how these people are forced to work there? For all I know they work voluntarily.

[cooler316619]

@spol07

They are not forced to work. The reason is that they find it an absolute necessary to work (in any condition) to put food on the table. It's just that in most 3rd world countries, poverty continues in a cycle from one generation to the next, and any source of income is a must. So they're willing to work long hours and bad conditions, otherwise they don't work and starve to death.

[bonfirejovi]

@cooler316619 so what is your solution? abolishing sweatshops will lead to more dangerous work or even prostitution.

[cooler316619]

@bonfirejovi

Abolishing it is a stupid plan. It's better for people like us (Americans) who are willing to shell out $150 for a pair of Jordans that are made using $5 materials and $3 wages. I'm suggesting that with the $142 profit that Nike makes, that they can give like 25% of it to improve wages. But that's only going to work if the consumers give out their voice to the heads of Nike and Jordan and such.

[colourmegone]

I found this after watching the video 'Penn & Teller: Defending Sweatshops'. I have seen others documenting the conditions in more detail but this great. I own one pair of Nike trainers that I bought on sale for £19.99 (UK size 13/US 14). Will never buy another. Thanks for posting this and for the links.

[chizzy555]

cut ceo and higher up salaries so they arent making many millions a year and then give it to the lower people, though the lowers should get less than uppers everything should be just divided more fairly so the top guys aint making 99% of the money

the companies arent all to blame though, its a highly competitive and free marketplace, so if a persons competition uses slaves then they gotta in order to survive as a company

just needs to be universal laws for businesses to prevent this

[IHateDrumMachines]

I hate unfair labor more than anything. I am a big labor-rights advocate.

I have recently taken to making my own clothes and clothes for my family! At least then I know my clothes are not made by a tiny Cambodian child who deserves better.

Please tell me, what more actions can I do to help these workers improve their conditions?

[aresarmor]

@IHateDrumMachines If you want to support the "tiny Cambodian child who deserves better" you should purchase the products that he makes so that he does not lose the job he has. Boycotting his product will not put food on his table...

[jordan3649]

Oh yeah, let's all just stop buying Nike so that these "poor people" will lose their jobs and be even poorer. That's lazy as fuck. Stop being so lazy and think.

[sickandtiredofyou21]

those people have put themselves their...why feel sorry?!

[daballr07]

@sickandtiredofyou21

possibly the most arrogant thing to say! Do you really think that they wouldnt mind switching places with you where you have better rights and a MUCH better life than they currently have?

You should feel sorry for them, because being born into a wealthy family/good job doesnt mean you deserve it, it means that your given the opportunity to help others. They are MOST definitely not doing this to themselves on purpose, they need our help and its our fault for not helping.

[BoriChumba]

ALL of those companies listed are Zionist companies who support and fund the ILLEGAL Occupation in Palestine... they also kill kids there too!

[234mariaflores]

The argument presented in this video is strong, but I do contend that the elimination of sweatshops is not a feasible solution. Instead, we need to recognize that a change needs to be made to improve the working conditions. The future of these people looks very bleak, and often times factory jobs are the best option they have for employment. Consumers can do a lot to influence companies to better working conditions for these people. I hope we can all agree that they deserve them.

[cooler316619]

yes i know what you mean

its not that i want to get rid of all sweat shops, i just want the sweat shop workers to get a decent wage and working condition

[NoNameC68]

People who work in sweatshops already make a higher wage than almost anyone else at their level of poverty. People work in sweatshops because they pay more than any other job that they can possibly get. Any other job they get would also be far more dangerous.

Children work in sweatshops, it's bad; but at least they aren't starving.if you shut down sweatshops,those children will make no money and wont be big enough for other jobs.they would starve.

sweatshops are bad, so is every other job

[DarrelfromZeeland]

Want better working conditions? Quit and find a better job. Or move to where the better jobs are. Or get an education and learn a fucking skill and make yourself smarter and more valuable to employers. Or start your own business. THAT'S how it's done, not by strongarming businesses into coddling their workers and forcing business costs above market value.

[Kayakofan3]

@DarrelfromZeeland

There are no real jobs elsewhere. This is all they got. And you cant realy move to somewhere else while your poor. And realy geting paid 7 cents or 1 dollar an hour isnt enough for an education!

[DarrelfromZeeland]

@Kayakofan3 -Ever hear of saving up for an education? It worked for millions of Americans before the libturds started imposing "publik skewls" on us. And they can always start their own business.

[Kayakofan3]

@DarrelfromZeeland

Thats realy impossible to start a buisness of your own at 7 cents or one dollar an hour. Be realistic here. Not to mention the education there wouldnt be very good as the country is broke!!!

[novaboi24]

permission to use your awesome facts? Plz reply in 2 days/ 48 hours.

[cooler316619]

yes of course

i have all the sites in which i took information from in the info box to the right

[safenayz007]

sweatshops are unjustifiable and no one should be treated this way . help stop it don' buy from places like GAP and Nike so we can get closer to wiping them out completley

[cooler316619]

youre going to need a lot of support for this

personally, i wouldnt stop buying from them, but demand them to increase wages and working conditions

[Rachypoolammypie]

They obviously make just enough or they'd all be dead. They need swetshops and if you don't agree with me, name another place they could work.

I'm not mean, i just feel that sweatshops will earn them just enough money to get by. Yes, campaign for them to be paid more, but not for the sweatshops to be gone altogether.

[mczombie]

good point.. and I'm sure they would rather do this than work in the fields or become prostitutes... which is really the only other opportunity they have available to them.

[spooner0099]

buying from thrift stores or any type of resale is a good choice. sure these clothes may have a made in china label, but the cycle has already been done. you are simply reusing and in the meanwhile doing good for the environment. plus, it's super cheap!

[swirlydesigns]

dude, you spelled plant wrong

[sammybhoy101]

jst shows u how lucky we are.. i make around 100pound a week at the age of 13

[xarebyan]

instead of posting videos lets try sending them 20 dollars a month,,, would me much helpfull u guys

[luddite333]

I have posted six videos about why Nike is privatizing my former university and why that is not a good idea. To find them use the search here at Utube with keywords:nike university of oregon.

[Sniper0528]

i feel like such an asshole now, everyone that knows about sweatshops and still wears cloths from it should too.

i think i'm going to try to be sweatshop free. wear stuff like american apparel, vans, etc.

[cooler316619]

i recommend buying adidas for any sports related clothing

[ago225]

adidas has been accused of using sweatshops too. and just cause it has an "American" label does not mean it didnt involve sweatshops.

[shofasho78]

i saw the "behind the swoop" video and i just wanted to say that this is the reality of a developing country. every industrialized compan has been through this at one point in time in their history including whether its the U.S. or the U.K. all industrialized countries have gone through this. Im not sying that this makes it ok but eventually these people will organize and demand rights and fair treatment or someone else will.

[xvxuxvx]

Okay....lets not buy stuff from them. Now they get $0.00 a day, and must kill/riot/steal for food which they were able to buy before.

[cooler316619]

listen

boycotting is optional. my point is to educate people by showing them how bad the working conditions are for major corporation.

[yazpan]

What's the song used in this video?

[cooler316619]

its called "summer madness" by kool & the gang

[EasyEs]

What study shows that people who work for NIKE don't make enough money to live on?

[cooler316619]

please watch the behind the swoosh video in the info box

[aquamammal]

Or they can pressure Nike to give them a living wage.

Or even better, we can teach these people to farm biointensively, permaculturely and produce their own calories so that they don't need to depend on this suicide system.

XVX for life, R.A.S.H 'til death.

[cooler316619]

ok..

yeah, maybe they can have a workers protest and all that

[xvxuxvx]

by whose working standards are going off of?!?!? The countries that have sweatshops are at the bottom of the barrel. Instead of stopping sweat shops, how about helping the country, and in turn, stopping them?!?!

[cooler316619]

sure, but who is going to?

[xvxuxvx]

No one, which is why I don't argue against them, because they provide a lot of my possessions. Plus, if all sweatshops get closed down, people wont be able to buy certain things, AS NO ONE WILL MAKE THEM! Someone always has to be on the lower end for there to be ones on the higher.

[cooler316619]

listen, i am just saying that nike should provide better pay and working conditions from the amount of profit they are getting in america.

[xvxuxvx]

But Nike won't. America = greedy people. ( Me one of them. ) America wont over pay workers when it doesn't have to.

[cooler316619]

thens when this video comes in

have u seen the behind the swoosh video located in the info box. please watch it

[yazpan]

Please answer my PM

[cooler316619]

i did, please check your PM