Running head: SOCIAL PROBLEM PAPER 1

Emily Johnson

Social Problem: Exploitation of

Human Rights (Sweatshops)
WSU // SW 3710
December 8th, 2014

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The Exploitation of Human Right in Sweatshops

The Department of Labor (DOL) administers and enforces over 180 federal laws that
cover many workplace activities for nearly ten million employers and 125 million workers. The
DOL works extremely hard to ensure and protect human rights. Some various statutes the
department works hard to safeguard are as follows: proper safety and health in the workplace,
rational work hours and wages, workers compensation, employee benefit security, unions and
member rights, basic employee protection, etc. The term sweatshop comes into play when two
or more of these labor laws are violated. This could involve an employer failing to pay minimum
wage or overtime to his or her employees, neglecting to pay employees on time, or something as
simple as maintaining time cards to keep track of employee work hours. Sweatshops typically
include poverty-level wages, excessive hours of labor, and unsafe/unhealthy workplace
conditions. In addition, there are also social and economic conditions that are most commonly
found in sweatshops, such as, a mass of unskilled and unorganized laborers (often including
children), management systems that neglect the human factor of labor, and the failure of
governments to intervene on the behalf of workers (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2014). According
to DoSomething.org, America has stronger labor laws than most undeveloped countries, but
many sweatshops still manage to slip under the radar of the U.S. Department of Labor. As we
plunge deeper into this issue, I will discuss the target population and extent of sweatshop impact;
how the topic has been viewed throughout the span of history in comparison to today; various
policies/services that have been put into place to alleviate the problem and how they have made
an impact; how social stigma, discrimination, and/or societal prejudices affect policy solution;
my personal idea of the problem and what I believe the causes of the problem are; and how the
treatment of this issue is related to Social Work values and ethics.

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Target population and extent of sweatshop impact

According to DoSomething.org (n.d.), In developing countries, an estimated 250 million
children ages 5 to 14 are forced to work. This makes up a large percentage of all forced labor
victims. This is often due to the parents being involved in sweatshop work also - the child is sent
to a factory to help with family income. Unfortunately, the family remains in poverty because
wages are often as low as a dollar a day. In most cases, you see this with immigrant families
because they are often nave to their new environment, which makes it easy for corrupt
employers to take advantage of. Men and women alike are subjected to verbal, physical, and
sexual abuse in factories from their managers and supervisors. They are sometimes trapped in the
factory and forced to work overnight or across multiple shifts (DoSomething.org, n.d.).
However, women make up the majority of sweatshop employees. This can be the result of many
factors- they are perceived to be easily dominated, they work for lower wages, preferred in
apparel or textile factories, and in some cases, sexual harassment may even serve as a benefit to
some employers. DoSomething.org also states, It is common for a manager to make false
promises for better jobs in return for sexual favors. Additionally, employers force women to
take birth control, routine pregnancy tests, and have even forced abortions upon workers to
prevent maternity leave or having to provide appropriate health benefits (ABC NEWS, 2000).
Living in the United States, we are fed to believe sweatshops dont exist here in the land
of the free. Within the first couple of minutes I spent researching this topic, I found this to be
extremely untrue. The Department of Labor says, 50% of garment factories in the U.S. violate
two or more basic labor laws, establishing them as sweatshops (Webster University, 2000).
Although Made in the USA labels are printed to guarantee production under U.S. standards and
laws, these labels are often fallacious. Saipan, part of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern
Marianas Islands, has recruiters who often lure in Asian female immigrants, promising them

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great American opportunities, only to lead them to unthinkable labor camps. Webster University
(2000) also states, The women work under a controlled system of fear and domination. If they
are fired for any reason, they are sent back to their homelands and are forced to pay heavy debts
to the government officials who gave them the jobs. U.S.-owned companies that import goods
from Saipan include: The Gap, Wal-Mart, JC Penny, and Sears Roebuck & Co. However, after
much dispute and a couple legal attempts to hold U.S. companies accountable for their false
advertising, many of these companies claim to no longer have ties with the factory.
Another foreign-owned factory on U.S. soil was the Daewoosa factory in American
Samoa. Fortunately, it was closed in 2001 for outrageous human right violations. Vietnamese
employees were forced to live in cramped living quarters and survived off a diet of rice and
cabbage broth (Webster University, 2000). Workers were unable to leave the compound. They
were cheated out of wages and were even denied food when it came to literal and intentional
means of punishment. Additionally, with 90% of the employees being women, there were also
relentless amounts of sexual harassment and physical abuse. After bankruptcy, the Vietnamese
workers are now left stranded with no money or job, and if sent home, are subject to the same
kinds of fines described in the Saipan situation.
Several other sweatshops around the world are found in Japan, where Thai women are
trafficked as means of cheap labor; Central and South America, where immigrant Bolivian girls
work under slave-like conditions in textile factories; underpaid workers in Tehuacan, Mexico,
who are then forced to send their children to work in garment factories (Webster University,
2000); Starbucks plantations that pay Guatemalan coffee growers poverty prices for their labor;
Nike factories in Indonesia, Vietnam and China; Wal-Mart factories in China; The GAP still
allowing production in Saipan, and now also Russia and Honduras; etc.

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In other words, there are sweatshop working demographics found all over the world, easy
targets are usually women and children, and the impact of forced labor is immensely destructive.
Historical viewpoints on sweatshops vs. today
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica (2014), In England, the word sweater was
used as early as 1830 to describe an employer (often middleman) who demanded
monotonous work, primarily garment making, for very low wages. Sweating became
widespread in the 1880s, when immigrants from eastern and southern Europe flooded in and
provided cheap labor in the United States and central Europe. There was intense competition
among employers, and immigrants were desperate for work, keeping wages down and hours
up (Liebhold, P. & Rubenstein, H., 1998). As industrialization began to boom in the 20th
century, parts of Latin America and Asia also began to operate sweatshops.
Child labor was also quite prevalent back in the day. Day, P. J. & Schiele, J. (2013)
claims, At the turn of the century, one out of six children were gainfully employed 7 million
children between the ages of ten and fifteen. Common work places for children were: clothing
and tobacco sweatshops, coalmines and iron mills, cotton, wool, and silk mills, and some street
trades. By 1904, a national child labor committee was formed to fight against child labor, and in
1912, the Childrens Bureau was established and became a permanent part of the Department of
Commerce and Labor. Its primary purpose was to protect children from early employment,
dangerous occupations, and diseases. It advocated a minimum work age of fourteen in
manufacturing jobs, and sixteen in mining, with documented proof of age, eight-hour work day,
and prohibition of night shifts (Day, P. J. & Schiele, J., 2013). However, it wasnt until 1930
that all states had ultimately enacted (and legitimately carried out) child protection laws.
Unfortunately, in the words of La Botz, D. (2007), In the 1960s, apparel production
began to relocate outside of the U.S, which has led to more than 60 nations now supplying the

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United States market. Furthermore, as unionized factories have been closed here in America,
shady garment-assembly shops have started to make a comeback - especially in New York,
Chicago, and Los Angeles. According to the United States Labor Department, More than half
of the apparel production in this country now happens in illegal sweatshops (where two or more
basic labor laws are violated) (Webster University, 2000).
Americas past defines a sweatshop as an employer who demands tedious work for long
hours and low wages. For most families, this was their only way of earning a living. It also was
not particularly uncommon for children at that time to help with family expenses if they were old
enough and able to do so. Fortunately for us, people throughout history have worked hard to
establish laws and regulations regarding harsh and irrational working conditions. This being so,
today, a sweatshop is considered as any employer who violates two or more labor laws
concerning minimum wage and overtime, child labor, safety and health, workers compensation
and so on. However, there is some debate whether such standards should be enforced in
developing countries, where little income is better than none at all. It is vital to also mention the work was most often a choice in the past, whereas today, the populations working in
sweatshops are held against their will. Employees are deceived, threatened, and a majority
abused. Ultimately, their rights are completely exploited and workers are left oppressed which
is why this is a topic of social concern in the first place.
Sweatshop relief policies over time
Initial efforts to improve sweatshops in the United States began in 1884. However,
sweatshops remained widespread across America really until workers and activists started
forming unions and carried out industry-wide strikes. In the early 1900s, a couple unions
succeeded in winning over labor contracts that dramatically improved wages, working
conditions, and set up programs for worker healthcare, pensions, and even housing in some

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cases. Unfortunately, sweatshops never truly started to disappear until 1938 when the Fair Labor
Standards Act was passed, establishing minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth
employment standards.
The National Labor Committee and Global Exchange have done extensive work in
expanding public awareness on the topic, including the 1999 lawsuit against United States
corporations that had ties with sweatshops in Saipan. Two groups based in Washington, D.C.
the Campaign for Labor Rights (CLR), founded in 1993, and United Students Against
Sweatshops (USAS), initiated in 1997have created communication networks to mobilize
supporters in dozens of locations simultaneously (La Botz, D., 2007). USAS works specifically
on pressuring universities across the country to keep school names and logos off sweatshop
clothing. There are numerous other organizations (including anti-globalization advocates) that
also strive to protect human rights and promote public awareness.
Policies in the past focused on improving working conditions for lower class citizens,
whereas today, we already have a set of working standards established. Therefore the focus now
has shifted towards how we can maintain these standards and crack down on the companies
abusing such labor laws.
The impact of these policies
While activists, trade unions, and labor laws may have succeeded in improving working
conditions and helped to ultimately reduce the number of operating sweatshops, unfortunately,
not all sweatshops have been eliminated. The population of those still working under harsh
conditions, unaware of their human rights or without the voice and power to address the issue
single-handedly, are whom most organizations concentrate on protecting currently.
Let us not forget the bodies that do not focus primarily on policy, but work to save
refugee factory workers on a personal level. An organization I am personally familiar with is

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Women At Risk (WAR), an international group that creates a circle of protection and hope
around at-risk women and children through culturally sensitive, value-added, intervention
projects (Women At Risk, n.d.). The level of service and resources the staff is able to provide
ranges wide and reaches far, but the most popular intervention project, the one I am most
familiar with, is the retailing of handcrafted jewelry. Women (and children) are often rescued
from various life-threatening environments and brought to a WAR shelter, where they are able to
recover and learn new life skills, in most cases, jewelry making. The jewelry is shipped and sold
in over 40 countries and most importantly, 100% of the proceeds are given directly back to the
women who make it. Although this organization may not be big in size, the quality of work done
here speaks for itself.
In regards to labor laws, the majority of working class citizens have benefitted from those
established over the decades. In addition, many big name American companies (Kohls, The GAP,
J.C. Penny, Sears, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, etc.) have been spotlighted for having ties with overseas
factories violating labor laws. Some cases eventually led to lawsuits where companies have
withdrawn their foreign ties. Moreover, the United States-based union has strengthened ties
with unions and worker organizations in the garment and textile sectors of 10 countries,
including Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, China, Thailand, and Indonesia (La
Botz, D., 2007). Radical change is on its way, slowly, but surely.
Regardless of all efforts, unfortunately, sweatshops still prevail and human rights are still
being exploited because of it. Sweatshops are not inevitable. They are a symptom of a global
economy that allows some people and corporations to exploit others in the pursuit of profits
(Green America, 2008). As long as corporate greed and competition for the lowest price
surpasses consideration towards human life, we may never see a revolution. Businesses must be

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held responsible for their supply chains, progressive government policies must continue to
protect worker rights, and as consumers, we must make ourselves aware of who and what we
contribute our money to. By working together, we can transform sweatshops into healthy
workplaces (Green America, 2008).
How social stigma/discrimination/societal prejudices affect solution
I am not familiar with any societal prejudices, concerning sweatshop workers in
particular, that would have a hindrance on future solution(s). However, there are common
misconceptions on the topic, which do happen to affect the solution process. For one, many
people today are disillusioned that sweatshops still exist to alleviate poverty. How can this be
true if the people forced to work must spend the majority, if not all, of the money they earn on
food for their families to survive? Wages in sweatshops are hardly sustainable. There is also the
belief that all merchandise labeled Made in USA suggests that the item has been produced
according to U.S. standards and laws. Consumers are deceived by false advertisement, which is
part of the reason companies are getting away with utilizing cheap labor the way they do. In fact,
this is the very issue that has led to multiple lawsuits in the past with big companies - retailers
advertising no sweat merchandise despite the fact that much of their clothing is manufactured
under unacceptable, not U.S. approved, working conditions.
Often times our lack of knowledge is what leads us to have prejudice thoughts and hearts
filled with discrimination. The more mindful we become of what is really going on in the world,
the sooner this adverse truth is globalized, the closer we get to a solution.
My personal belief of the problem and what I think the causes are
Throughout the amount of research Ive collected during this assignment, it was not long
until I formulated my own opinions on the topic. It became very clear to me right away that this
is an issue of globalization- global exchange and greed. It is clear that the west holds a majority

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of wealth in the world, therefor it is our responsibility to bring the developing world into
modernization. There is no reason that multi-billion dollar corporations should ever have to
result to cheap labor. As Kevin Danaber of the activist group Global Exchange writes, Should
trade agreements be designed largely to benefit corporations, or should they instead put social
and environmental concerns first? (Balko, R., 2007).
How the treatment of this issue is related to the Social Work values and ethics
Two ethical principles found in the NASW Code of Ethics that this global issue strongly
touches on, are (1) social justice and (2) dignity and worth of a person. As a social worker, it is
my job to challenge social injustice and to pursue social change, particularly on behalf of
vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people (NASW, 2008). A topic of concern
is most often considered to be a social problem when oppression is involved. It is my job to
make myself aware of the various types of oppression in the world and to promote sensitivity to
it. It is clear that there is a large population of oppressed sweatshop workers in the world; human
beings that are being held against their will and forced to work. To exploit and abuse someones
basic rights in such a way is an unthinkable social injustice. The U.S. government and several
organizations realize this, which is why there has been action taken to resolve the problem.
It is also my job to respect the inherent dignity and worth of a person. Both of these
values tie in really well with this topic. The fact that sweatshop workers are not being treated
with dignity or worth is a violation of this NASW value. The organization Women At Risk was a
great example of a social work approach to combatting the situation. Social workers seek to
enhance clients capacity and opportunity to change and to address their own needs (NASW,
2008). Which is exactly what they had the women do at their shelters learn skills that they
would be able to make a living off of.

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References

ABC News. (2000). Women forced to work. Retrieved from

http://www.globalexchange.org/sweatfree/saipan/womenwork
Balko, R. (2007). A world connected sweatshops and globalization. Retrieved from
http://sandovalhernandezj.people.cofc.edu/index_files/egl_36.pdf
Day, P. J. & Schiele, J. (2013) A new history of social welfare (7th ed.). New Jersey
DoSomething.org (n.d.). 11 facts about sweatshops. Retrieved from
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-sweatshops
Green America. (2008). Guide to ending sweatshops. Retrieved from
http://www.greenamerica.org/PDF/EndingSweatshops.pdf
La Botz, D. (2007). Sewing alliances: anti-sweatshop activism in the United States. Race,
Poverty and the Environment. Retrieved from http://reimaginerpe.org/node/866
Liebhold, P. & Rubenstein, H. (1998, July). A history of American sweatshops, 1820-present.
Retrieved from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/145
National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of ethics of the National
Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from
http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp
Sweatshop. (2014). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/576470/sweatshop
Webster University. (2000). Women and Sweatshops. Retrieved from
http://www2.webster.edu/~woolflm/sweatshops.html.
Women At Risk. (n.d.). About WAR, INTL. Retrieved from
http://warinternational.org/about-us/