Sweatshops

By Saika Okawa

Shops like H&M, ZARA, and UNIQLO are called sweatshops. Sweatshops are factories in which the workers are working under low wage. There are factories in China, Malaysia Bangladesh, Mexico and so on (development countries). Sweatshops are a problem in the world because the workers are children and women, and they are worked for long time. It is an infringement of human rights. I read a book Labor in the American Economy by Richard Scheuch. The author says workers should go on strike to protect their own human rights. But workers don’t do that. Why do you think they don’t? One opinion is working at a sweatshop is better than unemployment. My opinion is the low wage is enough money for workers to live. I have an example of Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s currency is Taka. 1 American dollars = 70.57 taka (2010), and workers can get a salary about $1.6 a day from the company. Breads are sold for $0.25 in Bangladesh, so workers can manage on the low wage. That is why I have the opinion.

I don’t think sweatshops are good for workers who working there. Some people insist on sweatshop is infringement of human rights, and we should eliminate the system. Of course I think so, but sweatshops are important. It is not too much to say that they support our society and help a lot of unemployed people. The system of sweatshops is good for economy in advanced nations lately. Do you think sweatshop will get decreasing in the world or not? I think maybe not.