Introduction

• International Athletic clothing and shoe company
• Accused of "selling out" American labor, running sweatshops, and exploiting poor workers
• HR team deployed to visit five overseas factories

Case 6.1

• Average wage $30 for a six day week (55 hours).
• Working Conditions: poor ventilation, 98 degree temperatures, humid, limited if any access to clean water
• No posted company code of conduct
• Women 16-22 years old, kids as young as 13 years old.

History

• Sweatshops: a shop or factory in which employees work for long hours at low wages and under unhealthy conditions (Merriam Webster Dictionary).
• Following the great expansion of the garment industry in the 19th century, the number of sweatshops increased dramatically.
• Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911
• New York State Factory Investigating Commission
• UNITE

Fashion Industry

• Bangladesh and Triangle factory Incident
• ADIDAS factory incident in Indonesia
• Nike and their sweatshop labor practices of 1997
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0YPE9cm-ZQ

Decision

• Wages: Raise to American minimum wage
• Working Conditions: Require factories to comply with OSHA standards
• Age of Workers: Require additional safety standards for jobs issued to 13 & 14 year olds

Biblical Perspective

• “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31
• “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:9
• “For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14
• “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

Conclusion

• Are companies who contract with sweatshop manufacturers doing anything wrong?
• Now that you have heard our conclusion, what thoughts do you have?