ever wondered where those bargains come from

papa smurf · 05-12-2008, 09:29

this explains why clothes etc are so cheap on the high street, is it right,to exploit people in this way ,or should we just be greatfull for the bargains.

http://www.itv.com/News/Articles/Sho...-11719996.html

DaiNasty · 05-12-2008, 13:59

I think this is a difficult and complicated issue. It's poorly-paid work admittedly but on the other hand it IS work and offers a chance to get out of the rice paddies and maybe eventually move on to something better. It may take a couple of generations to get significantly better but it offers something marginally better IMHO than the subsistance lifestyle of the peasant farmers.

**Maggy J** · 05-12-2008, 15:21

A sweat shop is a sweat shop and probably no better than subsistence farming in increasing a families financial circumstances...

Hom3r · 05-12-2008, 15:32

There was a thing on resently about Primark, some of the places that made the clothes were using illegal child labour.

Now heres the dilema do you stop buying the clothes and the child can end up suffering, or carry on buying knowing the full story and the child who in some cases is the sole income earner.

Personally the later is the best option.

**Stuart** · 05-12-2008, 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by papa smurf

this explains why clothes etc are so cheap on the high street, is it right,to exploit people in this way ,or should we just be greatfull for the bargains.

http://www.itv.com/News/Articles/Sho...-11719996.html

Actually, this has been the case for years, and apparently stretches right from the cheapy clothes shops (Primark etc) through to the designer shops.

danielf · 05-12-2008, 15:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hom3r

There was a thing on resently about Primark, some of the places that made the clothes were using illegal child labour.

Now heres the dilema do you stop buying the clothes and the child can end up suffering, or carry on buying knowing the full story and the child who in some cases is the sole income earner.

Personally the later is the best option.

I see where you are coming from. However, the child that works does not get an education, may remain illiterate, and be trapped in poverty for the rest of his/her life.

Also, paying people a living wage (appropriate to the country they live in) is going to have a marginal effect on the price the UK consumer is going to pay. I really see no argument for this exploitation.

roadwolf · 05-12-2008, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielf

I see where you are coming from. However, the child that works does not get an education, may remain illiterate, and be trapped in poverty for the rest of his/her life.

Also, paying people a living wage (appropriate to the country they live in) is going to have a marginal effect on the price the UK consumer is going to pay. I really see no argument for this exploitation.

You are comparing these countries with this one, most do not get any education anyway, although i'm not condoning it, they would be beggars with out the work in the sweat shops.

DaiNasty · 05-12-2008, 16:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggy J

A sweat shop is a sweat shop and probably no better than subsistence farming in increasing a families financial circumstances...

I used to work for a company that employed immigrant Bangladeshi labour. One of their community leaders used to talk with me about the contrasts between the factory work here and what he had to do when he visited back home.

The rice planting and harvesting is miserable backbreaking work. You struggle, get sick a lot and die young. Even a sweatshop job making shirts for Primark or Tesco has got to be better.

danielf · 05-12-2008, 16:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadwolf

You are comparing these countries with this one, most do not get any education anyway, although i'm not condoning it, they would be beggars with out the work in the sweat shops.

Let's put it this way: if they work they are guaranteed to not get an education. If their parents work and get paid a llving wage, then perhaps the kids can get an education.

And I'm not comparing these countries with the UK. I've been to many of them. I think I have a fairly good idea of what goes on.

**Maggy J** · 05-12-2008, 16:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaiNasty

I used to work for a company that employed immigrant Bangladeshi labour. One of their community leaders used to talk with me about the contrasts between the factory work here and what he had to do when he visited back home.

The rice planting and harvesting is miserable backbreaking work. You struggle, get sick a lot and die young. Even a sweatshop job making shirts for Primark or Tesco has got to be better.

Even if you end up working for 12 -14 or more hours and you sleep next to your workplace?

papa smurf · 05-12-2008, 16:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Even if you end up working for 12 -14 or more hours and you sleep next to your workplace?

for 98 pence

danielf · 05-12-2008, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by papa smurf

for 98 pence

To put that in perspective, these are the world bank definitions of poverty (globally).

Quote:

Extreme (or absolute) poverty: Living in extreme poverty (less than $1 a day) means not being able to afford the most basic necessities to ensure survival. 8 million people a year die from absolute poverty.

Moderate poverty: Moderate poverty, defined as earning about $1 to $2 a day, enables households to just barely meet their basic needs, but they still must forgo many of the things-education, health care-that many of us take for granted. The smallest misfortune (health issue, job loss, etc.) threatens survival.

Relative poverty: Lastly, relative poverty means that a household has an income below the national average.

Quote:

* Each year, more than 8 million people around the world die because they are too poor to stay alive.
* Over 1 billion people—1 in 6 people around the world—live in extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $1 a day.
* More than 800 million go hungry each day.
* Over 100 million primary school-age children cannot go to school.

http://www.netaid.org/global_poverty/global-poverty/

DaiNasty · 05-12-2008, 17:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Even if you end up working for 12 -14 or more hours and you sleep next to your workplace?

I really don't know. It's such a different world I'm struggling to imagine how it must be.
I just thank my lucky stars I was born in this country.

papa smurf · 11-01-2009, 17:27

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7822902.stm

Fashion chain Primark has launched an investigation into allegations one of its suppliers has breached employment and immigration laws.