Made in Bangladesh

"A sweatshop is a manufacturing facility where workers endure poor working conditions, long hours, low wages and other violations of labour rights" (OXFAM).

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What is the Issue?

• Exploitation of people (no human rights)  
• Workers are unable to benefit from work
• Extreme inequality with money distribution
• We are contributing to the issue here 

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Working conditions in Canada:

• minimum wage: $10/$11  
• 8 hours/day with breaks
• Mandatory breaks given by employers 
• Mandatory safety routes and training 
• File against employer if presence of abuse

Conditions in Sweatshops:

• Earn only $40-45 per MONTH!
• Work 12-18 hours everyday!
• Bars on windows (cannot leave)
• No Fire escapes (blocked)
• Physical and mental abuse 

Discussion Question:
Is "providing a living for poor people" a good reason to continue the use of sweatshops?

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Brief history

• 1840's: textile industry (England, New England)
• 19th century: work moved into factories from home
• 20th century: rapid industrialization and urbanization
• "The New Deal" decreased sweatshops 
• Globalization brought rise to sweatshops again 

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Why do they exist? What is the cause?

• Circumstances of country (colonization effects)
• Globalization and "Free Trade"
• Consumers want low prices, companies want profit
• Workers unable to fight back 
• Corporations and big companies  

Discussion Question:
Social change takes decades to come. How long do you think our labour market will shift to a more fair wage/ laws? Why?

Collapse of rana plaza

•  Entire building collapsed after previous factory fire
• April 23, 2013 
• 2000 workers working in small building
• Joe Fresh Company

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Why should we care about sweatshops?

• Developing countries trapped in poverty
• Third World poverty means continued overpopulation
• It is preventing countries from improving their conditions (no education) 
• We are paying to violate human rights

Discussion Question:
If you were to be Prime Minister, what measures would you take against sweatshops?

Solutions:

• It starts with the consumer: Buy from Fair Trade Apparels
• Pressure international organizations to improve conditions 
• Key is not to boycott but to improve conditions
• Spreading awareness will increase importance of issue
• Will allow countries to observe the changes 

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