Rebecca Kiekhaefer

Professor Chey Davis

English 111

6 June 2010

According to Derber, many countries allow companies to neglect labor laws. Therefore, are sweatshops the fault of the countries or the companies?

 

 

            Outsourcing is an enormous debate in American society.  One element of this debate is the stories of companies that abuse the laborers in another country to save money because they can get away with it.  This rightfully upsets American workers, as they are laid off from jobs they have worked hard at because labor laws protect them.  It has been proposed by Charles Derber that countries allow companies to neglect labor laws in order to secure their business; therefore, sweatshops are not the fault of these companies, but of the countries that allow such disregard. 

 

 

            I feel that it is the responsibility of the outsourcing company to be sure that labor laws are enforced.  Furthermore, I believe that the company should be required to adhere to the strictest set of labor laws involved.  For example, if country A has stricter labor laws than country B, the company outsourcing from A to B should be required to follow the laws of country A.  This will ensure that all workers involved with the company are treated fairly.  Businesses need to turn a profit in order to stay in business, and too often the labor is where corners are cut.  When a business needs to cut corners, and the country allows them to exploit workers, the business will jump at the opportunity.  A better alternative may be to allow tax breaks or other special benefits to save businesses money, if they respect labor guidelines and laws.  This would create a better situation for worker and employer.  Also, this gives workers in both countries an equal chance of being hired, and those hired can be chosen based on what they can offer the company rather than how much they are willing to be paid.  This is just one way that a company could become more responsible than an entire country in regards to labor.

 

 

            The other view of this issue is that the countries are completely responsible for sweatshops that are present in their territory.  The government of these countries creates the labor laws and allows companies to be exempt to gain the business.  The opinion is that these countries themselves are responsible for their people and should not allow companies to neglect labor laws.  Although I do agree that the governments in such countries should protect their people, I believe that it is ultimately the responsibility of the company to follow labor laws.  The company should respect the workers, even if their own government would abandon them for monetary gain. 

 

 

            While the government should be responsible for its people, and these lapses in judgment should be corrected by companies.  If workers are already being exploited by their own country, a business should stop the exploitation and not take advantage of it.  There will never be a perfect balance, but maybe a few small steps toward better working conditions can be accomplished.  In better balance, the worker will have their dignity and the employer will be in a bearable economic position.  While the country should hold responsibility for the worker, it is ultimately the responsibility of the business to uphold the rights of a laborer.

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

Derber, Charles. The Wilding of America: Money, Mayhem, and the New American Dream. New York: Worth, 2004. Print.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Uo3qeXroU