• Who made the shoes you are wearing? SEP 19, 2010

    • Sweatshop workers in Bangladesh recently went on strike because of poor working conditions and salaries. Do you know how much they are paid?

      Less than 50 cents per day

      The minimum wage at the Bangladeshi sweatshop factories is 24 US dollars… per month! And that’s the official minimum. Most workers only get 13-15 dollars per month – the lowest wages for garment workers in the world.

      It is virtually impossible for an individual, let alone his or her family, to live off this salary. The World Bank sets the poverty limit at 1.25 dollars per day.

      No wonder they went on strike !

      But surely, large and well respected Western companies wouldn’t accept such working conditions !?

      Well…

      Major international companies are in on the deal

      The Ashulia region in Bangladesh produces a lot of the things we buy – especially our clothing. About 4,500 garment factories are located here making clothes for major international companies such as H&M, Wal-Mart, Zara, Carrefour, Gap, Marks & Spencer, Kohl’s, Levi Strauss and Tommy Hilfiger.

      Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world.

      What came out of the strike?

      After the strike the government of Bangladesh has promised to increase the minimum wage to 43 dollars a month this coming November – taking workers just above the official poverty limit. But many people are not even paid the official minimum wage.

      What would really make a difference? If we start to take greater interests in the clothes (and other products) we buy and begin to demand that these are produced under fair conditions. Some companies are already leading the way. Do what you can to find out about them, and buy their stuff instead.

      Low wages is not the only problem of sweatshops. Read more here.

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