What Is A Sweatshop

What is a sweatshop?

The term "sweatshop" was first used in the late 19th century to describe aspects of the tailoring trade, but sweatshop conditions exist in other industries as well. (Cara Metz 1991) A sweatshop can be described as a lousy place to work. Workers can experience exploitation in various ways for example low wages, no benefits, poor working condition, mental and sometimes physical abuse. Many of these sweatshops are located in third world countries. Central America and several Asian countries are major contributors to the problems with sweatshop. Furthermore, sweatshops also exist in the United States.

In Los Angeles alone almost 70% of garment workers are paid way below the minimum wage. (www.cropwatch.org) They are working in sweatshops. Sweatshops are not limited to the clothing industries. Toys, electronics and even agriculture are other areas where sweatshops are a major problem. When we think about a sweatshop a large factory comes to mind. However, you can find sweatshops located in houses, garages and even backyards.

When you take a close look at today's sweatshops, it is dominated predominately

minorities with a high percentage of the population being women. This is because there are easy to manipulate and control. Children are also often found working in sweatshops. The International Labor Organization (ILO) has estimated that 250 million children between the ages of five and fourteen work in developing countries. 61% in Asia, 32% in Africa and 7% in Latin America. Many of these children are forced to work. (Wanda Embar 2004) Sweatshop workers are estimated to work a total of 60-80 hours a week never receiving overtime pay.

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