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 Credibility GapPosted on Oct 29, 2007Clothing companies and the consumers who buy their products tend to feign ignorance when it’s revealed that those products are a bargain because they were made by 10-year-old slaves. That’s certainly the case with Gap, which says it was unaware of the sweatshop in New Delhi, India, where children were recently found toiling under deplorable conditions to create clothes bearing the Gap Kids logo.
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By Leefeller, November 2, 2007 at 7:33 am #
Opensource,
Great referral, now I know where to invest my money, thanks for the tip. Human labor has and will always be exploited, so why not take advantage, we should all become neoconsertives, one only must drop truth, integrity, morals, ethics, and of course compassion. What is really neat, they can be a Christan also.
What did I miss?
Report thisBy rodney, November 1, 2007 at 2:08 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
It’s called corporate slavery, they know what’s happening and the try to deny it and act shocked when they get caught. Why are Americans companies in foreign countries anyway? To pay a slave wage. Americans won’t work for 10 cents a hour. It’s the same reason why illegal immigrants are here. They are the new slaves. They will cut your grass,repair and build your home,provide cheap child and elderly care, and be your maid at a slave wage. Americans would do the job,but not at a slave wage.Illegal immigration has allowed middle Americans to become the new slave owner whereas during slavery only the wealthy owned slaves. The truth is we want the slave wage economy in America. It’s makes all of us richer. We just don’t want these people to become citizens who can vote. Especially the Republicans in the south,the original slave owners.
Report thisBy Opensource, October 31, 2007 at 2:18 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Hey there,
I guess the aggregated long tail is as much of an issue as one big fish. Vulnerability should never be an opportunity for profit.
I don’t know if this a hoax but is really interesting. People seem to be buying it.
http://www.4continentscapitalmanagement.co.uk/
R
Report thisBy Leefeller, October 29, 2007 at 7:22 pm #
We know how hard it is to find something with the Union Made in USA label, or just plain made in USA label. Especially clothing, the NAFTA and WTO seem to have left our shores like rats on a sinking ship, except they drilled the holes.
Sadly, several years ago I drove through Buffalo and was astounded by the huge numbers of empty factories. Cheap labor is great for business, but not for people.
Report thisBy thomas billis, October 29, 2007 at 4:14 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Duh you mean those shirts you are producing for 20 cents included child labor.People you want low prices some where in the world somebody is being abused to produce it for you.If there was a free press in China I wonder what you would find.One thing for certain is the lead mines are extremely profitable.But I digress.These companies have an idea what is going on but they have denialability.The sub contractor of the the offshore division of the subcontractor of the onshore division has been fired.It has your label on it and it is your responsibility that before your label goes on it you are aware of all facets of manufacture.This feigned disgust just will not cut it.You are only sorry you got caught.
Report thisBy Verne Arnold, October 29, 2007 at 3:51 pm #
#110256 by Douglas Chalmers on 10/29 at 8:26 am
(991 comments total)
Yes, I’ve lived here for years and know about the cultural sensitivity issues...I married a native. Some inet sites are blocked...we just got youtube back. I’ll look into blogging...thanks for your suggestions.
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, October 29, 2007 at 8:26 am #
#110252 by Verne Arnold on 10/29 at 8:15 am: “...I think I can blog here but I really don’t know much abut it. Can you give me more info...I’m an old fart and not too hip to this stuff...probably why I couldn’t “get"this SOB....”
Just register and log on - and go to it. Don’t forget, though, that you are blogging in another peoples’ culture and being polite goes farther. Try browsing some of the topics for a while first to see how they go. English is a second language all through the region now and people from neigboring countries will read it too.
Just be careful about how you discuss issues relating to Islamic neighbors (Indonesia and particularly Malaysia), though, as they once had race riots in Singapore and are wary about inflaming that again. ASEAN is a sensitive topic, too.
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, October 29, 2007 at 8:19 am #
#110250 by Verne Arnold on 10/29 at 8:09 am: “...Yes, it is a big problem…child labor et all. But it goes way beyond that…we had no child labor in our factory, but maybe at home, where some of the work was done. God, it’s so complicated...”
I remember back in the ‘50’s kids used to have after-school jobs selling or delivering newspapers for a pittance. That was child-labor too - but they were contributing something necessary to the family income. The sad part about it is that that is what these kids are having to do too. If you take that away from them, what are you going to replace it with???
Report thisBy Verne Arnold, October 29, 2007 at 8:15 am #
#110248 by Douglas Chalmers on 10/29 at 8:06 am
(988 comments total)
#110243 by Verne Arnold on 10/29 at 7:44 am: “...it is independent and owned by one person. I know the owner is not well liked by many people in the business, but he’s “successful”, so everybody kowtows to him. In actuality, this company was reported many times to the labor department of this country....”
I think I can blog here but I really don’t know much abut it. Can you give me more info...I’m an old fart and not too hip to this stuff...probably why I couldn’t “get"this SOB.
Report thisBy Verne Arnold, October 29, 2007 at 8:09 am #
Douglas, Mary, and Leefeller;
I am a little surprised at this response…but happy. Yes, it is a big problem…child labor et all. But it goes way beyond that…we had no child labor in our factory, but maybe at home, where some of the work was done. God, it’s so complicated, there are so many ways to circumvent the laws. It takes a person with an ethical….with ethics! Damn it! Money has become god and the third world has become the path to riches…damn the law!
Anyway, thanks for your considerate response. I know there are caring people out there, but just not enough to make a real difference. Pity!
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, October 29, 2007 at 8:06 am #
#110243 by Verne Arnold on 10/29 at 7:44 am: “...it is independent and owned by one person. I know the owner is not well liked by many people in the business, but he’s “successful”, so everybody kowtows to him. In actuality, this company was reported many times to the labor department of this country....”
Is that a country (S.E. Asian) you can blog in, Verne? Could try http://forum.channelnewsasia.com/index.php but the “world issues” and “community” or “in the news” topics are vetted and links are banned - the “business” topic is more free to post in, though, also “environment” and “health”. Discussion extends to other S.E.Asian countries......
Report thisBy Verne Arnold, October 29, 2007 at 7:44 am #
#110220 by Leefeller on 10/29 at 5:59 am
(458 comments total)
#110219 by Douglas Chalmers on 10/29 at 5:57 am
(986 comments total)
This company is not a subsidiary of some larger company, it is independent and owned by one person. I know the owner is not well liked by many people in the business, but he’s “successful”, so everybody kowtows to him. In actuality, this company was reported many times to the labor department of this country. My wife and I went there to get information and were shown a file more than 3 inches thick regarding this guy. When my wife picked it up they said ‘no, no, you can’t look.” What amazed me was they even showed it to us. Long story short, this scumbag had hired “very good” lawyers (S.E. Asian) and they went to the bottom line of (and I mean “bottom line”) legalities. Example; when somebody was close to the date when benefits became available, they were fired. He cheated my assistant out of her rightful severance pay. When she challenged it, she was threatened with a law suit. I offered to be a witness for her, but she was scared off. I actually saw a very big female foreman assault a worker. The foreman was physically restrained by male workers and taken away. The female worker (the one assaulted) was fired. The foreman was given 10 days off with pay. As I said; I could go on and on, but that’s it. This company is still selling in America, Australia, England, and New Zealand. God knows I wish I could say the name…but I cannot as you may well imagine. And so it goes…this guy is a self important nobody…but the damage he does is incalculable.
Bottom line…whenever you can, buy from a trusted, proven, legitimate company. Take a little time to get some facts. I will not wear the swish…period!!!!
Peace
Report thisBy mary, October 29, 2007 at 7:28 am #
#110210 Verne Arnold, great comment, and I do give a shit. I long ago made a commitment to at least reduce all unnecessary clothing and shoe purchases. I especially avoid the high-priced names. But you remind me to do more and I will.....
Report thisBy Leefeller, October 29, 2007 at 5:59 am #
Hey Verne,
Giving a shit, is not supportive of capitalism as defined by Neoconsevatives rules. Death for profit is more like it. Crush the unions, accumulate wealth, consolidate it for the rush of power, suppose they feel they can take it with them? A game of death, power and control, one big Monopoly game with real blood.
Report thisBy Douglas Chalmers, October 29, 2007 at 5:57 am #
110210 by Verne Arnold on 10/29 at 5:09 am: “...Gee, why aren’t I surprised...?”
They do it, perhaps through sub-contracting, and then they only withdraw if they are caught out......
The real problem, though, is that if it is not “acceptable for children to produce or work on garments” then they will be enslaved in some other industry until the entire issue of poverty and exploitation is resolved.
Quote: “Professor Sheotaj Singh, co-founder of the DSV, or Dayanand Shilpa Vidyalaya, a Delhi-based rehabilitation centre and school for rescued child workers, said he believed that as long as cut-price embroidered goods were sold in stores across Britain, America, continental Europe and elsewhere in the West, there would be a problem with unscrupulous subcontractors using children.......
‘Consumers in the West should not only be demanding answers from retailers as to how goods are produced but looking deep within themselves at how they spend their money’...”
Report thisBy Verne Arnold, October 29, 2007 at 5:09 am #
Gee, why aren’t I surprised? Having worked as a design/production engineer for an American toy company in S.E. Asia and quitting said company over their despicable treatment of their employees, I know first hand how this plays out. I supervised 120 employees and I’m still friends with many who worked for me….but they no longer work for this American scumbag. I photographed and documented via emails everything. Yeah, yeah, who am I? Not one international organization I contacted was interested because this company wasn’t “Nike”. Small fish….y’all have no idea….no idea at all. Oh, the stories I could tell…..but never will…nobody gives a shit!!!
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