Sweatshops as One of the Main Unethical Practices by Global Businesses - Essay Sample

Sweatshops Analysis

The term "sweatshop" indicates a factory which infringes human rights and labor laws by forcing employees to take low wages, work in conditions which are unhealthy and for long hours. The many reasons why most companies advocate for sweatshop is as a result of low costs of labor and reduced workers' rights protection, particularly in the developing countries. Thus, it is the main unethical practice by the global businesses that utilize human capital from the third world countries to reduce production costs. Hence, the paper critically analyzes the sweatshops as unethical practices with consideration of its statistics and facts, labor conditions, companies that use it, governmental regulations and the most significant ethical concerns with this practice.

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Facts and Statistics

In the contemporary world, the sweatshops do not have to be in a building, and those who work in them is not that they want, but it is because their current circumstances force them to be there since they do not have any other option. The products like coffee, clothing, shoes, chocolate, toys, bananas and rugs are the one associated with them. It is also being related with child labor since an estimate of more than 250 million children who are between the age of five to fourteen are said to be forced to serve in sweatshops especially in the developing countries where parents can do anything for survival. It is because the instability of the economy in those nations has made life hard and people are using every means to be alive. Those who work in sweatshops much of their paycheck go to food for the survival of their household (Powell, 2014). The women have been identified to be the majority in the sweatshops' employees, and they are approximately 90 percent of the entire workers.

Having said that workers do not have any other option, it means poverty still exists, and companies need cheap labor. Therefore, the main reason behind the existence of sweatshops is because workers lack the education which makes it difficult for them to acquire better jobs and poverty becomes their lifestyle. Since they earn meager income meeting their basic needs becomes a problem, and they end up working in the factories. Hence, it is proof that they are there because they do not have any other means to make money to meet their needs and live. Therefore, companies tend to take advantage of this situation to employ them at cheap labor hence making huge returns. Due to lack of education, these people do not know their rights and tend to think that working there is part of life to the extent that others even believe that it aids them to master skills which will result to a better career in future (Powell, 2014). As long as, they will continue to earn below the poverty line; therefore, education will remain a nightmare to them.

Labor Conditions

In telling conditions, Sweatshops are the best and physical abuse of workers is very common in them. The workplace setting is overcrowded with workers with the primary purpose of maximizing their production. It is common to find very exposed electrical wires, unguarded machinery, blocked aisles, and unsanitary bathrooms. Also, there is minimal ventilation since doors are always locked and the windows are barred or even shut closed, insufficient lighting and lack of appropriate temperature control in the factories. All these poor working setting, prove how the workers' life is endangered and how uncomfortable it feels working in these sweatshops. It is because a worker can never feel comfortable working in a hot room which is very poor ventilated. In fact spread of airborne diseases like tuberculosis can be at a very high rate in such factories hence putting employees' health at danger (Bies & Greenberg, 2017). For instance; in Bangladesh, a garment company caught fire in the year 2012 and due to inadequate emergency exists the workers were not able to escape on time, and most of them were injured and died.

In sweatshops, sexual, emotional and mental abuse is enormously common hence making workers experience harsh conditions. They are forced to serve for long hours which range from twelve to fifteen per day, and they can only rest on scheduled sleep breaks which are very low. In my view, this an inhuman act that goes against human rights because it is a medical requirement for a person to always sleep for at least six hours a day, therefore, these long working hours may result to health complication due to lack of sufficient sleep. Also, having said the worker's population consists of many women, they are always forced to have birth controls and take a regular pregnancy test, and the worst of all is that when they get pregnant, they are fired (Powell, 2014). It is because maternity leave is compared to an unproductive worker and an additional expense to the employer which is unnecessary.

For these factories to maintain high proceeds, they tend to compensate workers very little considering they enjoy nothing related to the job starting with job security, overtime pay and health benefits. In reality, it is against employees' right to force someone to work for overtime without any form of compensation since this person has other obligations he or she has foregone to serve the company and this a high level of exploitation to not recognize such sacrifice (Kates, 2015). Also, due to repetitive nature of work and the long hours in sweatshops most workers tend to spend more time at the workplace; therefore, having minimal time to socialize with the outside world as well as their co-workers thus, making them live a lonely life and financially struggling. Also, it is not that big issue for a child who works at sweatshops to not attend school and this infringement of child right since he or she has the right to education.

Government Relations

Governments can influence what happens internally and externally. For instance; it is claimed that the government was aware of the deteriorating infrastructure in the factory that was located in Bangladesh were fire occurred. The government failed to address the problem leading to the death of many innocent workers (Bies & Greenberg, 2017). Therefore, it is evidence that portrays possibility of a secret relationship between the government and these sweatshops and hence endangering the lives of workers who depend on them to settle or resolve the inhuman acts by these factories. Therefore, the high growth of these sweatshops should be blame placed on the ruling government.

Ethical Concerns

Employees in Sweatshops are treated very harshly for example; the low pay, long hours and unhealthy conditions of the workplace. The ultimate of all is the physical torture when a worker is caught slacking while working, and they are usually taken to a back room where supervisors either hang them using their knees or strike them with a cane (Bies & Greenberg, 2017). Therefore, the low pay, long working hours, unhealthy conditions and physical tortures are ethical concerns that should be taken with serious by the government and non-governmental agencies. It is because they are against employees' right.

Also, it is a dreadful fraction of human society since workers are forced to work under environments which are very unsafe and unsanitary exposing theirs lived at dangers of injuries and sickness (Powell, 2014). In reality, it is an ethical requirement for every employer to ensure his or her employee safety at the workplace, and also they are mandated to make sure the working environment is clean and safe for the workers. Therefore, this kind of inhuman exposures to injuries such as exposed electrical wiring and full work setting is something of ethical concern that should be addressed by the necessary bodies as quickly as possible because most people who are employed in these factories are in the risk of contracting contagious diseases.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is vivid proof that the sweatshops are very unethical and they should be banned immediately. It is because a nation cannot just withstand losing innocent workers due to unfair treatment and exposures by employers who do not value human right. Also, people need to be made aware of the sweatshops adverse effects because in some countries they still exist, but the majority of the population has no knowhow of their existence. Based on the discussion, it can be confidentially stated that Sweatshops is one of the central unethical practices by global businesses.

References

Bies, R. J., & Greenberg, J. (2017). Justice, culture, and corporate image: The swoosh, the sweatshops, and the sway of public opinion. The Blackwell Handbook of CrossCultural Management, 320-334.

Kates, M. (2015). The ethics of sweatshops and the limits of choice. Business Ethics Quarterly, 25(2), 191-212.

Powell, B. (2014). Out of poverty: Sweatshops in the global economy. Cambridge University Press.