Literature Review on Garment Sweatshops Essay Example

convulsions. The hospital considered multiple factors as potential causes for these symptoms, including poisoning from the synthetic materials they worked with, contamination of the drinking water supply, or the emission of carbon monoxide by the factory's machinery into the air.

Throughout the day, more women began experiencing the same symptoms and were subsequently hospitalized. This continued to happen repeatedly, causing panic among the remaining workers who hastily fled the factory. Brooks described the scene as utter chaos, with streets flooded by ambulances and women scampering in every direction to escape the factory. Offering a more personal perspective, Muriel Cooper recounts the story of a young woman who endured the agony of working in a sweatshop. Judith Viera, an 18-year-old, shared her experience working at Mandarin International, a Taiwanese-owned factory in San Marcos, El Salvador. Viera disclosed how female employees were compelled to use birth control and had restricted access to restroom breaks.

Viera highlighted that the restrooms were not disgusting and there were only around five toilets for approximately 500 employees, which violated the law stating that at least 25 toilets should be provided for every 100 workers. The gated entrances had guards who were impolite and disrespectful, demanding specific identifications for entry and exit. The factory was enclosed, posing difficulties for workers in case of a fire or any emergency. Furthermore, Viera mentioned that the garments produced were for major US companies such as Gap, JC Penny, and Bauer. Instead of being paid an hourly wage, workers received compensation based on the number of items they produced, causing their earnings to be inadequate. Any attempts to voice concerns or lodge complaints about hazardous working conditions or

low wages resulted in immediate termination.

Many individuals were afraid of losing their jobs as they relied on them to support their families. In his work "Slaves To Fashion," Robert Ross provides numerous accounts of young individuals who endure daily work and humiliation. To prevent theft, these large factories even hired searchers who would conduct thorough inspections, as described by a young woman: "They line us up and make us pull down our pants or pull up our skirts before we leave to make sure we haven't hidden an extra pair of underwear." Ross was taken aback and perplexed by why these individuals would tolerate such humiliation. It was a man who approached him and revealed that they had no other option— they aspired to escape from misery and find a means to overcome poverty. This statement is truly thought-provoking.

Through his research, Ross found that the minimum wage is insufficient for workers and their families to maintain a decent standard of living. The situation worsens with the presence of large sweatshops that exploit child labor, making underage children work excessively long hours of up to 60 hours per week, which is highly unjust. Furthermore, individuals who dare to speak out against mistreatment are immediately fired from their jobs. In one of Theodore H. Moran's excerpts, he recounts an incident where an employer locked out workers, withheld their wages, and quickly replaced them upon discovering their union involvement.

Many people are actively working to address the widely known problems mentioned earlier. Labor unions have been established to ensure workers are not overworked and receive fair pay. Thanks to these unions, sweatshops like DINDEX have closed down. The Mandarin

Factory has also changed its name to Charter and now has new management in place. Charter claims they have improved working conditions by providing amenities such as coffee breaks and an outdoor terrace cafeteria for lunch.

Despite bathrooms being unlocked and the factory being breezy and clean, employees have the option to voice their concerns to a board of independent monitors if they feel mistreated. However, there are still workers who express dissatisfaction with long work days and inadequate wages.[5]

Bibliography:

Ethel Brooks. “The Ideal Sweatshop? Gender and Transnational Protest”. International Labor and Working-Class History.

Edited by Carolyn Brown, Jennifer Klein, and Peter Winn.