Slave Labour and us!

Bonnyboy · 19-11-2007, 22:20

Everyone likes a good deal but at what cost ?

Every now and then there is a “news item” showing images of children working in some factory in, generally, a third world country. They are at times hired by the contractors of some of our favourite “high street names “( unknowingly of course )

The “news team” are horrified. Our “high street names” are horrified ( and will address any such issues with immediate effect ) Then there’s us….the public. Are we horrified ? I wonder. I would suggest that we aren’t horrified. We still want our good deals we also want to be paid as highly as possible for any work that we do, therefore retailers/purchasers will look anywhere they can for cheaper labour , in order to offer us what we crave.

Surely we aren’t naïve enough to think that we can have what we want without the involvement of slave labour ?

Stanaccy · 19-11-2007, 22:32

I am shocked that the retailer feigns surprise still.

However the "slave labour" aspect isn't just used by cheaper companies. most clothing/footwear companies use far eastern sweatshops. (I remember the furore over the guy who ordered his Nike trainers (when they would put your name or whatever on them) he wanted the name of the bloke who worked 16 hours a day in Vietnam for $1 a day's name on them. they refused.

So most clothing retailers use far eastern sweatshops so they can have a ludicrously high profit margin. If they wanted to stop it they could, by paying a higher salary and employ the staff direct. They won't and they use a third party so they can pretend they don't know about it.

B*ll*cks

Bonnyboy · 19-11-2007, 22:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanaccy

I am shocked that the retailer feigns surprise still.

However the "slave labour" aspect isn't just used by cheaper companies. most clothing/footwear companies use far eastern sweatshops. (I remember the furore over the guy who ordered his Nike trainers (when they would put your name or whatever on them) he wanted the name of the bloke who worked 16 hours a day in Vietnam for $1 a day's name on them. they refused.

So most clothing retailers use far eastern sweatshops so they can have a ludicrously high profit margin. If they wanted to stop it they could, by paying a higher salary and employ the staff direct. They won't and they use a third party so they can pretend they don't know about it.

B*ll*cks

If you sit and think about it Stan...it cant half take out the "feel good factor" of getting a bargain.

emamum · 19-11-2007, 22:50

there are two problems here... one is that the children are working for ****** all and the other is that the children have to work in the first place to feed their families...............yes the companies are taking advantage of the poverty but who's fault is the poverty and what would happen to their families if the children didnt have jobs at all??

just to make it perfectly clear i do not agree with children working!

BERNADETTE · 19-11-2007, 22:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonnyboy

If you sit and think about it Stan...it cant half take out the "feel good factor" of getting a bargain.

I don't think the bargain is passed on to the consumer, the retailers use the cheapest labour and then bump up the cost before passing it on to us

cashman · 19-11-2007, 23:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

I don't think the bargain is passed on to the consumer, the retailers use the cheapest labour and then bump up the cost before passing it on to us

i can go with that,sounds about right,ya dont get cheap " NIKE" and the like, was it the victorians that stopped kids going up chimneys? seems like not much has changed exept the country.

Bonnyboy · 19-11-2007, 23:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

I don't think the bargain is passed on to the consumer, the retailers use the cheapest labour and then bump up the cost before passing it on to us

I mean our perceived idea of a "bargain". What I'm thinking is that most of our retailers know how far they can push the public on pricing issues. They will always make a profit we know this, some profit margins can't be justified.

Even if the largest part of the profit was passed on to us, we would still clamour for a better deal and they would still attempt to deliver by whatever means. I think we know this too.

Hence my suggestion that maybe we are not all that bothered about sweatshops ( Just my own thoughts )

BERNADETTE · 19-11-2007, 23:34

Really don't think we can do anything about the sweat shops until the leaders of the countries involved sort it out. As long as they let kids work there is little we can do about it!!

grannyclaret · 19-11-2007, 23:37

if a dress is £50, and then it is £25 in the sales,,who is making a fast buck in the first place,,not the customer,,,

Bonnyboy · 19-11-2007, 23:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Really don't think we can do anything about the sweat shops until the leaders of the countries involved sort it out. As long as they let kids work there is little we can do about it!!

Well with a lote of hope and aide from richer countries, sometime in the future 3rd world nations may cease to exist. I just wonder who will become the abused in order to maintain our needs with having a BOGOF sale or whatever.

Bonnyboy · 19-11-2007, 23:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by grannyclaret

if a dress is £50, and then it is £25 in the sales,,who is making a fast buck in the first place,,not the customer,,,

The retailer makes a fast buck, we make a slower buck and some poor soul makes a bowl of rice in order for us to have the slow buck

BERNADETTE · 19-11-2007, 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonnyboy

The retailer makes a fast buck, we make a slower buck and some poor soul makes a bowl of rice in order for us to have the slow buck

Agreed but if the adults would use contraception the poor souls might not need to work to keep the family!!!

grannyclaret · 19-11-2007, 23:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Agreed but if the adults would use contraception the poor souls might not need to work to keep the family!!!

nice one bernie

so true...and where do they get the stamia from....?

BERNADETTE · 20-11-2007, 00:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by grannyclaret

nice one bernie

so true...and where do they get the stamia from....?

Beats me but they keep managing to have kids

Bonnyboy · 20-11-2007, 00:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Agreed but if the adults would use contraception the poor souls might not need to work to keep the family!!!

I would imagine that being part of a 3rd world country would equate to poor (if any eduaction) I say education because that's what is really behind the contraception issue. I dont think they actually have the luxury of popping down to the local clinic for free condoms and such.

The main point is that children get used. We all know it, it just seems we are not all that bothered. I'ts complaicency but what drives that complaicency, is it our own greed?