| Nike, the sporting goods company, is known for its | | | | regular and lucrative source of income. They view jobs |
| cutting edge sportswear and its swoosh logo is one of | | | | such as this as an opportunity to improve their lives |
| the most recognized worldwide. However, it has been | | | | and to provide better opportunities and education to |
| in the news for all the wrong reasons lately. The | | | | their children. |
| company has received a lot of flak about its | | | | You must also realize that countries where these |
| manufacturing practices, more specifically, the use of | | | | factories exist have very little legislation to protect |
| sweatshops in the developing world. | | | | workers rights. Many times these jobs are the best |
| The charges leveled against this international sporting | | | | ones available given the educational qualifications of |
| goods manufacturer is that it utilizes unfair trade | | | | the workers. The truth of the matter is that they do |
| practices in order to manufacture its range of products | | | | not judge the job on the basis of the final selling price |
| that are then sold in Western nations at extremely high | | | | of the product or on how much a worker in the United |
| prices. Some part of this statement certainly is true. | | | | States would earn by doing the same thing. |
| The shoes and apparel are made in countries like the | | | | Of course, this does not mean that manufacturers like |
| Honduras, Vietnam etc where the wages paid are a | | | | Nike should ride roughshod over their labor force just |
| fraction of what they would be in the United States or | | | | because they can. These companies have labor |
| Europe. The workers, mostly women, do not get most | | | | policies that tend to be better than those of the |
| of the benefits that their counterparts in the developed | | | | country where they are located. The probable reason |
| can avail of. | | | | that people balk at the idea of these offshore |
| This business practice of Nike, and of many other | | | | factories is the precedent set by banana republics |
| manufacturers, has been at the receiving end of so | | | | which used western companies to exploit their people |
| much condemnation in the media. Some people have | | | | for the gain of an elite few. |
| boycotted the use of these brands, although it is safe | | | | This business practice has advantages for everybody |
| to say that there are not too many companies that do | | | | concerned. |
| not do the same. | | | | The manufacturer is happy to get a substantial profit |
| Before one starts to censure these companies, one | | | | margin and the workers are very glad to get a regular |
| has to look at the other side of the coin in order to get | | | | source of income. Another set of people who are |
| a clearer picture. The fact is that these so called | | | | happy to benefit from this arrangement are the |
| sweatshops are a mainstay of the economy in these | | | | customers who get their sports gear at prices that suit |
| developing countries. The people who work there are | | | | them. |
| extremely happy to get this opportunity to earn a | | | | |