winterwonderland
02-03-2004, 05:35 PM
I am just furious right now! I just finished watching a BBC program called “Gap, Nike: No Sweat?". It was all about child labor and sweat shops wherein both Nike and Gap claimed to have codes of conduct with the factories but the factories were not following the rules. When confronted with the information both seemed to try to blame the factories whom they have contracts. Both Nike and Gap claim that it is the factories responsibility but that they do monitor the factories and were working with the factory where BBC found the violations.
Nike agreed to pay for the under-aged girls to quit work and go to school while the girls would continue to receive their wage until they were of age. Then they would be welcomed back to work at the factory if they chose. Gap just fired them. Yes, the girls lied about their age to get the job but the factories did nothing to verify. One girl was 13 and her parents were very saddened that they sent her off to work but had no other choice. The girl earned $40 a week and all of it went to rent and food. The head hunter who recruited her charged her parents $80 to get her the job. Both Nike and Gap claim that it is the factories responsibility but that they do monitor the factories.
I knew about Nike having sweat shops but hadn’t heard about Gap. There is also an island off of China that is owned by the US. Gap has clothing made on this island and they claim that it is American made. Many of the workers are women who were recruited in China and they were forced to sign away most of their human rights in exchange for the factory moving them and giving them a job. There are many other manufacturers who have factories on this island who have already settled lawsuits for these violations but Gap is fighting them in court.
This whole matter is so sickening to me. I admit that I am a conservative and I believe in free trade. I DO NOT AGREE with child labor, sweat shops and slave labor! This is not what free trade means! Where can one go to find out which companies comply with international laws or are they all bad? Have we sunk so low that it is acceptable to look the other way just as long as we can buy clothing as cheaply as possible? For heavens sake, Nike is not cheap and neither is Gap for that matter so obviously someone is lining their pockets and it’s not the workers!!!!
Nike agreed to pay for the under-aged girls to quit work and go to school while the girls would continue to receive their wage until they were of age. Then they would be welcomed back to work at the factory if they chose. Gap just fired them. Yes, the girls lied about their age to get the job but the factories did nothing to verify. One girl was 13 and her parents were very saddened that they sent her off to work but had no other choice. The girl earned $40 a week and all of it went to rent and food. The head hunter who recruited her charged her parents $80 to get her the job. Both Nike and Gap claim that it is the factories responsibility but that they do monitor the factories.
I knew about Nike having sweat shops but hadn’t heard about Gap. There is also an island off of China that is owned by the US. Gap has clothing made on this island and they claim that it is American made. Many of the workers are women who were recruited in China and they were forced to sign away most of their human rights in exchange for the factory moving them and giving them a job. There are many other manufacturers who have factories on this island who have already settled lawsuits for these violations but Gap is fighting them in court.
This whole matter is so sickening to me. I admit that I am a conservative and I believe in free trade. I DO NOT AGREE with child labor, sweat shops and slave labor! This is not what free trade means! Where can one go to find out which companies comply with international laws or are they all bad? Have we sunk so low that it is acceptable to look the other way just as long as we can buy clothing as cheaply as possible? For heavens sake, Nike is not cheap and neither is Gap for that matter so obviously someone is lining their pockets and it’s not the workers!!!!