Sweatshop Oppression - Ravisankar 2 - Essay Example

Kindall Jones ENC1101.AM3 Hills February 24, Sweatshop Oppression: Ravisankar #2 Groups such as against Sweatshops (USAS) have significant effects on the working conditions in foreign countries. The groups can influence working conditions by refusing to buy cheap clothes made by companies that oppress workers. According to an article in “The Nation” Statistics show that university students buy almost $ 3 billion on sneakers, sweatshirts, caps t-shirts and sports uniforms embellished with the institutions name and logo annually.

Since renowned brands do not want to lose this wide market, they put pressure on their workers to work for more hours and less pay. The working conditions of these workers are deplorable (Ravisanker Rajeev 87). Workers are often compelled to work for longer hours without a break and prohibited from joining trade unions. The pressure put on workers influenced by high demand for cheap clothes, by groups such as the university students. Therefore, if all the university students refrain from buying cheap clothes from these companies until the workers conditions improve, the management will make the needed improvements.

For example, USAS seeks to influence universities to obtain their clothes in factories that respect the rights of workers especially the freedom to join trade unions (Ravisanker Rajeev 87). Therefore, USAS and other student groups have a significant effect in improving the actual working conditions in foreign countries. The groups can help improve the poor working conditions by joining the efforts of other humanitarian associations that hold campaigns to condemn workers’ exploitation. Since most sweatshop companies target students as their major consumer, efforts to condemn abuse of worker’s rights will have an impact on management of these companies.

Students can use their universities’ procurement department to air their dissatisfaction with the poor working condition. Students can maximize on the advantage and the fact that the universities buy clothing items such as sports clothing from companies that make them cheaply (Miller, 98). The students can use the university to give an ultimatum to these companies to change the poor working conditions or the universities will stop buying from them. Losing the huge client base that universities offer these companies is a huge risk that the companies may not be willing to take.

They may thus consider revising the work condition and allow workers their rights and freedom to form unions (Ravisanker Rajeev 87). USAS and other human rights group, labor rights activists and student protests can have impact on the poor working conditions in foreign companies by approaching supply chain distributors such as Nike, Adidas, Champion and Gap that buy clothes from oppressive companies (Ravisanker Rajeev 87). The students can appeal to the distribution companies to speak against exploitation of labor and advocate for a change in working conditions.

Companies such as Nike and Adidas supply clothes meant for young students in universities. Working with the students to end oppression at work place is a good way to build their brand image (Park 57). Therefore, students can convince these companies to approach their suppliers and advocate for a safer working environment for their workers (Ravisanker Rajeev 87). Failure to this, the students may threaten to stop buying clothes from the distributor, who in turn will stop buying from the suppliers.

In addition, students groups can influence other students to stop buying clothes from any business that is associated with the oppressive cloth manufacturers until the working conditions are improved. Through this, all the stakeholders in the clothing business will work together to stop the abuse of human rights or risk losing their biggest clients in casual wear. Works Cited Miller, John. "Why economists are wrong about sweatshops and the antisweatshop movement." Challenge 46.1 (2003): 93-122.Print. Park, Eunsung Eric.

 Responding to the voices of sweatshop workers: An ethical model for justice in the era of globalization. Drew University, 2011. Print. Ravisankar, R. Sweatshop Oppression. Practical Argument, 86-87. Print.