"Deception of Employers"
Sweatshops are fundamentally complex. Attempts to better the working conditions at these factories have proven futile in the past because there have always been, as deception of employers convey, secrets and lies in sweatshops. Many times, instead of dealing with the situation, managers in manufacturing companies and large corporations tried to lie about the harsh conditions in sweatshops. Lying fixes the situation to pass an audit or to become a manufacturer for a well-known company, but, in the end, the laborers are still suffering and the morality of the situation is not discussed.
Another huge factor that has stopped consideration of bettering conditions at sweatshops is that workers are terrified to speak out in fear of losing their job. Workers will also lie along with the employers in order to secure having their job. This may not make sense to someone who does not live in an impoverished nation, but along with fear of losing one's job, there is also fear of violence and harm to one’s family. With both the employers and laborers lying, there cannot be action taken to rectify the situation. Without a general consensus from everyone who works at sweatshops to rally for better conditions, which would be nearly impossible, there will not be a need for speedy changes. Ultimately, since the manufacturers who utilize sweatshops know that for many of the workers leaving will be the determining factor for life or death, they carry on with the normal conditions in the sweatshops without consideration for better pay or improved conditions.
This article “Secrets, Lies, and Sweatshops” by Bloomberg Businessweek gives thorough insight of the deception and corruption that occurs on a daily basis at sweatshops by giving an account of an incident that happened at the manufacturer Ningbo Beifa Group. This manufacturer, one of the top producers of supplies for Wal-Mart and other well-known retailers, is a prime example of how workers are often overlooked and exploited. Tang Yinghong, a manager, told of the lies and deception that went on at sweatshops to hide information and make the situation better than it was by participating in immoral acts. Yinghong said that they went as far as to falsify records so that they look authentic, “coach managers on what to say,” and “hustle any workers with grievances.” This just exemplifies how the companies are more willing to spend up to $5000 to cheat the system rather than to actually fix the situation from the beginning. Also, this sheds light onto the fact that big American corporations should not be the only people to blame for the horrid conditions. (Bloomberg Businessweek)
Although manufacturers have blame to take for the poor conditions of sweatshops as much as the large corporations that utilize them, the manufacturers, located in many impoverished areas, are usually not focused on as much as the big named corporations, located in many richer nations such as the United States. The fact that this happens is not too strange because there is not a wealth of information about the sweatshops in the impoverished nations, but there is plenty of information about big companies. This article explains how Wal-Mart has tried to at least ensure minimum wage and overtime policies by having annual audits, but the manufacturers are becoming too skilled at hiding their secrets with lies. The situation can be seen where the Wal-Mart comes to audit Ningbo Beifa Group and magically a call is received from an unknown caller by the name of Lei Mingwei saying that he could assist in passing the audit. This situation can be summed up by the quote from the article that states, “Major American retailers and name brands have answered accusations that they exploit "sweatshop" labor with elaborate codes of conduct and on-site monitoring. But in China many factories have just gotten better at concealing abuses.” (Bloomberg Businessweek) Solutions to problems in this way cause people to forget about the real cause, which is that the workers are suffering. The article ends off by stressing that just because one cannot see past the lies and deception, it does not mean it is not still occurring around the world.
Roberts, Dexter, and Pete Engardio. “Secrets, Lies, And Sweatshops.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 27 Nov. 2006. <http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/06_48/b4011001.htm?chan=gl>.
Another huge factor that has stopped consideration of bettering conditions at sweatshops is that workers are terrified to speak out in fear of losing their job. Workers will also lie along with the employers in order to secure having their job. This may not make sense to someone who does not live in an impoverished nation, but along with fear of losing one's job, there is also fear of violence and harm to one’s family. With both the employers and laborers lying, there cannot be action taken to rectify the situation. Without a general consensus from everyone who works at sweatshops to rally for better conditions, which would be nearly impossible, there will not be a need for speedy changes. Ultimately, since the manufacturers who utilize sweatshops know that for many of the workers leaving will be the determining factor for life or death, they carry on with the normal conditions in the sweatshops without consideration for better pay or improved conditions.
This article “Secrets, Lies, and Sweatshops” by Bloomberg Businessweek gives thorough insight of the deception and corruption that occurs on a daily basis at sweatshops by giving an account of an incident that happened at the manufacturer Ningbo Beifa Group. This manufacturer, one of the top producers of supplies for Wal-Mart and other well-known retailers, is a prime example of how workers are often overlooked and exploited. Tang Yinghong, a manager, told of the lies and deception that went on at sweatshops to hide information and make the situation better than it was by participating in immoral acts. Yinghong said that they went as far as to falsify records so that they look authentic, “coach managers on what to say,” and “hustle any workers with grievances.” This just exemplifies how the companies are more willing to spend up to $5000 to cheat the system rather than to actually fix the situation from the beginning. Also, this sheds light onto the fact that big American corporations should not be the only people to blame for the horrid conditions. (Bloomberg Businessweek)
Although manufacturers have blame to take for the poor conditions of sweatshops as much as the large corporations that utilize them, the manufacturers, located in many impoverished areas, are usually not focused on as much as the big named corporations, located in many richer nations such as the United States. The fact that this happens is not too strange because there is not a wealth of information about the sweatshops in the impoverished nations, but there is plenty of information about big companies. This article explains how Wal-Mart has tried to at least ensure minimum wage and overtime policies by having annual audits, but the manufacturers are becoming too skilled at hiding their secrets with lies. The situation can be seen where the Wal-Mart comes to audit Ningbo Beifa Group and magically a call is received from an unknown caller by the name of Lei Mingwei saying that he could assist in passing the audit. This situation can be summed up by the quote from the article that states, “Major American retailers and name brands have answered accusations that they exploit "sweatshop" labor with elaborate codes of conduct and on-site monitoring. But in China many factories have just gotten better at concealing abuses.” (Bloomberg Businessweek) Solutions to problems in this way cause people to forget about the real cause, which is that the workers are suffering. The article ends off by stressing that just because one cannot see past the lies and deception, it does not mean it is not still occurring around the world.
Roberts, Dexter, and Pete Engardio. “Secrets, Lies, And Sweatshops.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 27 Nov. 2006. <http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/06_48/b4011001.htm?chan=gl>.
