Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

Zalatix

(8,994 posts)
Sat Aug 4, 2012, 01:09 AM Aug 2012

America's God-Given right to cheap foreign-made goods at ALL COSTS...

Do we really have that right to ultra cheap computers and clothes even if it means perpetuating the slave labor, child labor, barely subsistence-level pay, and rampant water and air pollution that occurs in other nations SPECIFICALLY to make our cheap goods possible?

Really? Is that what globalism boils down to?

Do we have a right to THIS?


http://www.thenation.com/article/161057/wikileaks-haiti-let-them-live-3-day#

WikiLeaks Haiti: Let Them Live on $3 a Day
Dan Coughlin and Kim Ives June 1, 2011

Contractors for Fruit of the Loom, Hanes and Levi’s worked in close concert with the US Embassy when they aggressively moved to block a minimum wage increase for Haitian assembly zone workers, the lowest-paid in the hemisphere, according to secret State Department cables.

The factory owners told the Haitian Parliament that they were willing to give workers a 9-cents-per-hour pay increase to 31 cents per hour to make T-shirts, bras and underwear for US clothing giants like Dockers and Nautica.

But the factory owners refused to pay 62 cents per hour, or $5 per day, as a measure unanimously passed by the Haitian Parliament in June 2009 would have mandated. And they had the vigorous backing of the US Agency for International Development and the US Embassy when they took that stand.

To resolve the impasse between the factory owners and Parliament, the State Department urged quick intervention by then Haitian President René Préval.

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
America's God-Given right to cheap foreign-made goods at ALL COSTS... (Original Post) Zalatix Aug 2012 OP
Hey, America buys chicken from Chick-fil-a, thnk they give a shit? DainBramaged Aug 2012 #1
cheap goods are just that cheap, would rather pay more and have stuff that lasts loli phabay Aug 2012 #2
I Tried to Set Up a "Made in USA" Group on DU AndyTiedye Aug 2012 #3
not cool. limpyhobbler Aug 2012 #4
And shame on Hanes and Levi's, too. Zalatix Aug 2012 #6
Does rMoney know about this? I'm SURE he would be opposed to outsourcing jobs to slave labor. HopeHoops Aug 2012 #5
Response Godfrey789 Aug 2012 #7
"Workers of the WORLD Unite" is still the answer. Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2012 #8

DainBramaged

(39,191 posts)
1. Hey, America buys chicken from Chick-fil-a, thnk they give a shit?
Sat Aug 4, 2012, 01:12 AM
Aug 2012

As we learned a long time ago, America doesn't give a shit aboiut anything except how cheap they can get it for.

 

loli phabay

(5,580 posts)
2. cheap goods are just that cheap, would rather pay more and have stuff that lasts
Sat Aug 4, 2012, 01:15 AM
Aug 2012

i have boots and clothes that are 40 years old and still good, my 22 rifle is over 40 and still works fine, yet if you buy anything nowadays its got built in destrusction after what seems like months.

limpyhobbler

(8,244 posts)
4. not cool.
Sat Aug 4, 2012, 01:40 AM
Aug 2012

Our government should be supporting the Haitian workers getting a minimum wage increase.

Not working to crush it.



Latest Discussions»General Discussion»America's God-Given right...