Should the Use of Sweatshops be Banned?

We all love finding cheap fashionable clothes online. But what if you knew that shirt is worth almost triple the pay that the worker who made it will earn in a day's work? These workers work in sweatshops around the world in developing countries which is how receiving minimal pay and enduring cruel conditions is currently being justified. Sweatshops violate human rights,labor laws,and economic dignity and should be banned.  

There have been many instances of companies violating human rights even going as far as death. according to an April 24 ABC News article by Matt Mosk, “An eight-story building that housed four garment factories in the capital city of Bangladesh collapsed overnight, killing at least 87 workers, and adding to a rising death toll in a country where well-known American retailers pay dirt-poor wages to make clothing in factories with few of the basic safeguards that are standard in most of the developed world.” Not only did these workers lose their lives but it could have been easily avoided if all the exits were not locked because they were being forced to stay inside. You would think the least an employer could ensure for their workers is safety. 

One of the factors that labels corporations as sweatshops is paying below a living wage and enforcing overtime with no compensation. Many people have the misconception that sweatshops help alleviate poverty but that is untrue, sweatshop workers are rarely able to improve their economic status because they are being so exploited. Sweatshop factories are constantly relocating to try and find cheaper and less regulated opportunities. 

While many argue that sweatshops are crucial to our economy and bettering the lives of these workers by providing them a job that may even be higher than other jobs offered it is still illegal for these multi million dollar companies exploiting and taking advantage of them by paying the minuscule amount to make a quick buck. I believe that these companies should be held to a higher standard.

In conclusion although sweatshops may be economically beneficial and somewhat justifiable they are inhumane and should be banned. So what can you do as an individual to try and combat this global issue? While boycotts don't necessarily benefit the situation, well known companies like Nike, Adidas, H&M, and Converse are known for using sweatshops so you may want to think twice before purchasing from them. 

Works Cited

Mosk, Mathew. ABC News, ABC News Network, abcnews.go.com/Blotter/bangladesh-factory-collapses-leaving-70-dead/story?id=19031470