Sweatshops: The Truth

Please watch the "Behind the Swoosh" video:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1818...

For more infomation concerning sweatshops, please visit:
http://www.american.edu/TED/nike.htm
http://www.toolness.com/nike/
http://www.saigon.com/~nike/
http://www.educatingforjustice.org/stopnikesweatshops.htm
http://studentsagainstsweatshops.org/
http://www.geocities.com/whydoyoukeepdeletingme/ASSLLeague.html
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Boycotts/NikeThird_facts.html

Category:

Education

Tags:

• nike
• sweatshops
• truth
• facts
• documentary
• students
• against
• sweat
• shops
• jordan
• guess
• gap
• old
• navy
• ralph
• behind
• the
• swoosh
• low
• wages

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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.

[BeaveHolio]

@cooler316619

retail shops in america.

[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.

[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.

[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...

[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.

[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.