Chinese slaves

puremagic

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

I think the majority of people do care about human rights. Does that stop these products from flying off the shelf....not in the least. So where is the problem coming in? 1.) People aren't aware of the labor practices being used to manufacture these products. 2.) People don't have the time or won't make the time to reseach these things 3.) People that do know about these things still have a harder time finding alternate products and stores that are readily available to them. 4.) People often have a harder time being able to afford the alternatives

So while people are not doing anything to stop this....these workers pay the price. Theories are all nice and fine but if no change is coming then you have to consider that your theory just isn't working.

<>http://veganpeace.com/sweatshops/responsible_shopping.htm
(If the labels don't post, go to this link to see).

Responsible Shopping
Companies that don't use sweatshop labor

It is very difficult to find out exactly which companies do and which don't use sweatshop labor. Most manufacturers and retailers control what type of information regarding their labor is made public. They keep a lot of information hidden from consumers and anti-sweatshop organizations. Manufacturers also frequently relocate production to find cheaper prices for labor and materials.

The following information can help in locating products that have not been produced in sweatshops, and that help support responsible businesses.
Good Companies

Support companies that have put in the effort to provide sweatshop-free products. Click here to find a list of some good companies. You can also find responsible companies by checking out Co-op America's online Green Pages.
Companies to Avoid

One way to find out which companies should be avoided is by looking at the current actions of the various anti-sweatshop organizations. Find out about these actions by checking out the links on my What Can We Do page. Co-op America's Responsible Shopper and Retailer Scorecard can also help you choose where to shop and which companies to avoid.


Made in the USA?
A "Made in the USA" label does not guarantee that workers behind the label were paid at least minimum wage in decent conditions.

In the U.S. sweatshops conditions exist in low wage industries that employ immigrants, like the garment industry. The U.S. Department of Labor found that 67% of garment factories in Los Angeles and 63% in New York, violate minimum wage and overtime laws. 98% of garment factories in Los Angeles have workplace health and safety problems serious enough to lead to severe injuries or death.

Another problem is that factories in U.S. territories, such as Guam, Samoa and Saipan are allowed to use the "Made in the USA" label despite the fact that their status as territories exempts them from U.S. labor laws.

FTF Members
FTF retail stores are members of the Fair Trade Federation. They carry primarily fairly traded items, either bought directly from producer groups or from fair trade wholesalers. When you buy products at an FTF retail store, a significant percentage of the money you pay will to directly to the artisans.
Please click here for a listing of FTF retail stores.

Organic Products
Buy organic products. Especially make sure bananas, chocolate and coffee are organically produced.

Union Made Products
Union made products are products that are produced in America by Union members, which means that they are produced by skilled workers who are treated fairly and decently by their employers. The Union Label and Service Trades Department has a search program to help you find Union made products. You can also find Union made products by looking on the Buy Union page of UNITE HERE!
Labels

The following labels help you to find products that have not been produced in sweatshops.

TransFair USA's "Fair Trade Certified®'" Label
Transfair USA, a nonprofit organization, uses this label to certify coffee and tea producers - and soon, producers of bananas, chocolate, and other goods - who follow Fair Trade guidelines.

RUGMARK® Label
Many of the world's enslaved child laborers work weaving rugs. To be sure your carpet purchase doesn't fund these practices, buy one that bears the RUGMARK® label.

ECO-OK® and Better Banana TM
The Eco-OK label identifies cocoa, coffee, orange juice, oranges, and bananas that have been grown in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. The Rainforest Alliance - together with several Latin American conservation groups - works with companies to help them implement these guidelines.

Shopping also is based on a consumer's budget, so while the buyer's may or may not know the product is produced by sweatship standards I don't believe they should be made to feel guilty for something that is out of their control. This is a billion dollar industry, the consumer is not going to change the practice. The practice will just get better laws protecting it as a business.

---

These people know what's going on and profit from the misery of slave labor and in many cases our tax dollars help them. It's not just the GOP, but damn they have fine tuned corruption into a masterpiece of artwork. Unfortunately, they're pompous and arrogrant and have to let people know what they are capable of achieving.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/20/231845/839

an interesting read when you have time about the Chinese sweatshop connection with GOP/Bush/Abramoff and the Tan Family and, of course your tax dollars at work. If you follow the Abramoff and the Tan family saga through other sources, you'll see need for the removal of those U.S. prosecutors.

surferdude

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

Theory comes in where you think consumers are going to make a change. They haven't been. Reality. I'd like to see some actually change...some progress...not just the same old line about how it's on the consumers... it's on both.

Greed and laziness are also traits of these corporations who just wanna make a quick buck and don't worry about the means of doing so. A consumer is someone who buys stuff, corporation are the ones that provide the stuff....both have a responsibilty to do what's right. The consumer often doesn't doesn't know, firsthand, about these labor practices (ignorance) so they're not thinking about these workers when they buy these products. On the other hand, corporations know very well what they are doing and don't care....they can't claim ignorance, they have to claim greed, selfishness and inhumane treatment. I'd rather be ignorant than purposely inhumane any day. True enough, consumers have choices but let's not pretend these corporations don't have them, as well.

The key difference is that orporations have a 100% duty to earn money. People are not bound by law to live this way. Ethically corporations only need to follow the law. I'm all for coming down on corporations where they do not follow the law but not when the law is followed and the law does not mesh with my ethics. They're not morals and ethics if I let ignorance, greed or laziness be used as excuses for not following my morals and ethics. Corporations are not the problem, as corporations are just made up of people.

Abookamongstthemany

surferdude wrote:

The key difference is that orporations have a 100% duty to earn money. People are not bound by law to live this way. Ethically corporations only need to follow the law. I'm all for coming down on corporations where they do not follow the law but not when the law is followed and the law does not mesh with my ethics. They're not morals and ethics if I let ignorance, greed or laziness be used as excuses for not following my morals and ethics. Corporations are not the problem, as corporations are just made up of people.

Corporations are made of people! Exactly! And as people of the human race, they have more than just the responsibility of making money. Everyone has to make money but it's very important how you choose to conduct yourself while earning it.

Abookamongstthemany

puremagic wrote:

<>http://veganpeace.com/sweatshops/responsible_shopping.htm
(If the labels don't post, go to this link to see).

Responsible Shopping
Companies that don't use sweatshop labor

It is very difficult to find out exactly which companies do and which don't use sweatshop labor. Most manufacturers and retailers control what type of information regarding their labor is made public. They keep a lot of information hidden from consumers and anti-sweatshop organizations. Manufacturers also frequently relocate production to find cheaper prices for labor and materials.

The following information can help in locating products that have not been produced in sweatshops, and that help support responsible businesses.
Good Companies

Support companies that have put in the effort to provide sweatshop-free products. Click here to find a list of some good companies. You can also find responsible companies by checking out Co-op America's online Green Pages.
Companies to Avoid

One way to find out which companies should be avoided is by looking at the current actions of the various anti-sweatshop organizations. Find out about these actions by checking out the links on my What Can We Do page. Co-op America's Responsible Shopper and Retailer Scorecard can also help you choose where to shop and which companies to avoid.


Made in the USA?
A "Made in the USA" label does not guarantee that workers behind the label were paid at least minimum wage in decent conditions.

In the U.S. sweatshops conditions exist in low wage industries that employ immigrants, like the garment industry. The U.S. Department of Labor found that 67% of garment factories in Los Angeles and 63% in New York, violate minimum wage and overtime laws. 98% of garment factories in Los Angeles have workplace health and safety problems serious enough to lead to severe injuries or death.

Another problem is that factories in U.S. territories, such as Guam, Samoa and Saipan are allowed to use the "Made in the USA" label despite the fact that their status as territories exempts them from U.S. labor laws.

FTF Members
FTF retail stores are members of the Fair Trade Federation. They carry primarily fairly traded items, either bought directly from producer groups or from fair trade wholesalers. When you buy products at an FTF retail store, a significant percentage of the money you pay will to directly to the artisans.
Please click here for a listing of FTF retail stores.

Organic Products
Buy organic products. Especially make sure bananas, chocolate and coffee are organically produced.

Union Made Products
Union made products are products that are produced in America by Union members, which means that they are produced by skilled workers who are treated fairly and decently by their employers. The Union Label and Service Trades Department has a search program to help you find Union made products. You can also find Union made products by looking on the Buy Union page of UNITE HERE!
Labels

The following labels help you to find products that have not been produced in sweatshops.

TransFair USA's "Fair Trade Certified®'" Label
Transfair USA, a nonprofit organization, uses this label to certify coffee and tea producers - and soon, producers of bananas, chocolate, and other goods - who follow Fair Trade guidelines.

RUGMARK® Label
Many of the world's enslaved child laborers work weaving rugs. To be sure your carpet purchase doesn't fund these practices, buy one that bears the RUGMARK® label.

ECO-OK® and Better Banana TM
The Eco-OK label identifies cocoa, coffee, orange juice, oranges, and bananas that have been grown in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. The Rainforest Alliance - together with several Latin American conservation groups - works with companies to help them implement these guidelines.

Shopping also is based on a consumer's budget, so while the buyer's may or may not know the product is produced by sweatship standards I don't believe they should be made to feel guilty for something that is out of their control. This is a billion dollar industry, the consumer is not going to change the practice. The practice will just get better laws protecting it as a business.

---

These people know what's going on and profit from the misery of slave labor and in many cases our tax dollars help them. It's not just the GOP, but damn they have fine tuned corruption into a masterpiece of artwork. Unfortunately, they're pompous and arrogrant and have to let people know what they are capable of achieving.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/20/231845/839

an interesting read when you have time about the Chinese sweatshop connection with GOP/Bush/Abramoff and the Tan Family and, of course your tax dollars at work. If you follow the Abramoff and the Tan family saga through other sources, you'll see need for the removal of those U.S. prosecutors.

Thanks for all the info.

RainDog

surferdude wrote:

The key difference is that orporations have a 100% duty to earn money. People are not bound by law to live this way. Ethically corporations only need to follow the law.

Then how about a law that says these corporations aren't allowed to work with these slavers? Then, they would either have to follow or break it. That'll pin the ethical label on 'em and make it stick. Provided we enforce it.

jlew24asu

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

If consumers weren't demanding white rhino horns then they'd still be here...works out well, doesn't it?

would work out better if people didnt break the law to get them either.

Abookamongstthemany

jlew24asu wrote:

would work out better if people didnt break the law to get them either.

Yep, we need some good laws in place in other areas, as well. And of course, actually enforce them.

forgotten_child

Rushlimbo wrote:

Yes, it is hard to believe the cruelty that humans can possess. I truly cannot understand how someone can do this to another human/animal. The U.S. has been pushing this issue with regards to slavery and sexual slavery.

The U.S has been paying it lip service, and at the same time dropping 100 bombs costing one million dollars each in one night alone in bagdad. what about the women and children under those bombs? the u.s are pushing the issue my ass..

jlew24asu

forgotten_child wrote:

The U.S has been paying it lip service, and at the same time dropping 100 bombs costing one million dollars each in one night alone in bagdad. what about the women and children under those bombs? the u.s are pushing the issue my ass..

haha. look at you. you are new around here. I dont think he is going to disagree with you about bombs of baghdad.

I will. The US is leading the fight against human trafficking and sexual slavery. yup, thats a fact.

does your blind hatred of the US understand this?